Don't Freak Out! The Beginning
by regenengel3
Summary: A young woman falls prey to two FanFiction Tropes. The Self-Insert and The Mary Sue. With nowhere to go and little real skill to offer her new world, Rae finds herself following the flow and forces herself to adapt to her new reality. Also, Yoda really is a Troll. Go figure.(Apologies ahead of time. I couldn't seem to be able to avert the Mary Sue-ness. The next one is better.)
1. Chapter 1

Summary: What if... a fan of the Star Wars movies (and a few of the games) found herself on Padme's ship while it's on its way to Tatooine? (Self-Insert with Mary Sue tendencies. You've been warned.)

Disclaimer: Not mine. At all. Honest!

 **Chapter 1:** WHAT THE HECK?! I'M GONNA DIE!

Rae looked around the ship she suddenly and inexplicably found herself on. She blinked, saw the auburn haired man beside the near freakishly tall man that looked like some famous actor she couldn't remember the name of, blinked again, then started laughing hysterically. She knew it was hysterical because it changed every two seconds... give or take. "Oh man! What the heck?! This is awesome! What am I going to do?! Qui-Gon Jinn! He's alive! Oh man! This is awesome! I'm gonna _die!_ This is the Naboo Crisis! I am so going to _die!_ " she screamed, falling to the floor while wildly gesturing between Obi-Wan(who else could it be? He actually looked quite a bit like the actor who played him in ' _The Phantom Menace_.' Not to mention _Qui-Gon_!) and his master. Obi-Wan leaned over to the aforementioned master.

"Is she sane?" he asked in slightly accented English. Rae felt another mad chuckle worm it's way from her. Oh man, this could _not_ be happening!

"I'm... not sure, Padawan. Perhaps we should take her to the med-bay?" Qui-Gon said quietly. Rae stopped laughing and gave them a considering look.

"Why aren't you communicating through your Force Bond? Or does it not work that way? In all the fanfiction I've read you can communicate telepathically through the Force. Or is that just a plot device? Can you feel each others' emotions? Oh! Can you sense my complete and total confusion and general 'what the heck?' through my Force presence? Or is that just a load of baloney as well? Are you headed to Tatooine? It's hot. Like, super hot. And dry. Really dry. With sand. Lots and _lots_ of sand. One day there and you'll hate sand. Oh, and make sure you don't let the Gungun out of your sight. He's more of a trouble magnet than _either_ of you... though I'm not sure about you Master Jinn. Not enough fanfiction... or screen time. I'm kinda surprised I recognized you on sight to be honest. Then again, it might have been the height. You really are tall you know that? And Obi-Wan! You're cute. I didn't quite know it was you at first but then I was like, 'lightsaber, really tall dude, trying to hide complete confusion while tall dude looks faintly resigned... yep. Obi-Wan.' Hey, can I get something to drink? It might help me calm down. I know you want me to stop and start making sense. Heck, I want me to stop and make sense. Oh man am I freaking out! Please, give me something else to focus on! This is madness! Pure madness!" she rambled. A thought sparked and she chuckled privately to herself and muttered, 'madness? This! Is! Sparta!' to herself, lingering hysteria making it even funnier than it otherwise would have been. She refocused on the tow Jedi and chuckled at their confused, and slightly fearful, expressions. She could almost hear them asking,

'How does she know about that?'

'Who is she?'

And, of course, 'What's fanfiction?'

"And no, you do _not_ want to know about fanfiction. Some of that junk is more evil than the Sith. And yes, I know what a Sith is. And how evil they can be. It's enough to make even a slaver heave. I'm talking about some of the fanfiction that is no doubt out there on you... both of you. Though like I said, I haven't seen too much on Qui-Gon. Anyway, distraction?" Rae piped up, as if she had read their thoughts. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon shared a startled look.

"Are you Force Sensitive?" Obi-Wan asked. Rae laughed.

"Oh please, they're logical questions," she said, waving his concern aside, then froze, her eyes growing wide as a horrible thought occurred to her. "Please tell me logic hasn't vanished from the universe? Though I suppose Multi-Verse would fit as well, seeing as I am now in a fictional world that has so many AU stories written about it it makes one's head spin. Oh frack, I'm in a fanfiction! Well, I hope the writer does me justice and doesn't make me one of those horrible Mary Sues that are made of Win and Sickening Sweetness and Grammar so Horrible it can Make a Sith Cry. Blech! I think I'd throw myself in the way of a Lightsaber if that happened! And I'd be doing the Fandom a favor if I did, not to mention the galaxy I'm currently in. Now, for the... third time, distraction please? Before I start bashing my head on the wall in frustration?" Rae said again, attempting to glare at the Jedi. She never had mastered the Death Glare, even after nineteen years living with an older sister and grumpy female cats, who are undisputed Queens of the Death Glare.

/*/

Obi-Wan had to fight down an irrational stirring of amusement at the girl. She was a pretty thing, slender but healthy, with shoulder length straight brown hair that shimmered faintly in the not-quite-stark lighting of the Nubian star cruiser they were in. Her dark blue-green eyes were slightly panicked and her small, pale pink lips were pushed out in a minor pout as she attempted to glare. Her manner of dress was odd, but seemed to suit her quite well. Slightly washed out blue pants that had obviously been worn and washed many times, fake leather and mesh black and pink shoes, slightly baggy dark blue shirt, black and white jacket, and silvery ear rings that looked vaguely like leaves that jingled as she shook her head. "Right... well, I'll take you to the cafeteria, though I'm not sure they'll have anything you recognize there," he said, mildly worried about her reaction to the fare aboard the ship. She graced him with a small smile, though considering the size of her mouth, anything those lips did would be small. Obi-Wan forced his attention away from her lips, wondering what was coming over him. She gave him a worried look.

"You aren't thinking I'm cute are you? I'd hate for this to be one of those stories where one of the main characters falls in love with the randomly appearing OC like, immediately after they meet. Those are usually the Sickeningly Sweet Mary Sues with Grammar to Make a Sith Cry," she said softly, like one speaking of something best left unsaid. Obi-Wan was suitably appalled and Rae smiled softly at him, her eyes understanding. "Yeah, I know. Horrible right? I mean, we just met!" she said, a good bit happier now that Situation Mary Sue had been avoided. Though Obi-Wan could still feel a large amount of anxiety in the young woman.

"Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to you," Obi-Wan said, hoping to calm the obviously unsettled woman. She gave him a sad sort of smile, a trace of brokenness entering those pretty eyes of hers.

"It's not me I'm worried about, per say. It's my family and... you. Obi-Wan... I _know_ things. Terrible things. And seeing you and Qui-Gon and knowing where you're headed in this Nubian that is plainly quite expensive, meaning it's the Queen's ship... it makes it all _real_. If you knew what I know... actually. That's the basis of a lot of fanfiction. Not all of it turns out well, and I can't know what, exactly, your personality is because every author is different and you didn't have much screen time or character development in any of the movies I watched... or remember watching. I think I blocked most of number two and number three. Clone Wars was... eh... and kinda... Sickeningly Sweet." Obi-Wan felt himself being to shiver with the beginnings of disgust and fear. The way this girl was speaking... he wasn't sure he wanted to know what she knew and yet... and yet he did. Just as he was about to ask, she sighed. "Please, don't ask me about your future. The knowledge I hold... it wasn't meant to be in this time. _I_ wasn't meant to be here. Obi-Wan, I can't believe I'm saying this but... prove the fanfiction writers right and be mature and understanding. Don't push, not now. It will only hurt you. Everything I've read... they all agree you're slow to anger and can make rational decisions even when jaded and sad and ready to just breakdown in the wastelands and move on. You're one of my favorite characters, which is likely why you're acting _out_ of character with your responses to me. I don't know _why_ I keep making big, long, pretty much nonsensical speeches, I've been doing it for years, but I am. And I'd like to stop for today. So please, stop me and forget about... whatever it was that set me off, okay?" she said, face pleading and voice trembling at the end. Obi-Wan still had a part of him that wanted to ask, but her request... he sighed.

"I'm sorry for you're burden, miss. And it seems you have me at a great disadvantage. You know my name, and a good deal about me... or who I _will_ be, but I know next to nothing about you except that you make rambling speeches and know far too much about the Galaxy, the Force, and what may be," he said. The young woman gave him a grateful smile and turned to face forward again.

"My name is Rae Donna Mayar, and I'm from Earth in the year 2014. I am twenty-two years old, have an older sister, a younger brother, three cats, a dog, and a nice house in the small town of Notasulga. I was born and raised in Alabama, a State in the United States of America. It can get up to one hundred degrees Fahrenheit on the hottest days of the summer and down to below forty degrees Fahrenheit in the dead of winter in Alabama, and it's one of the more temperate States. There is ocean, forest, desert and grassland on Earth, and I live in the more scrubby part of the planet, kind of a mix between grassland and forest. Lots of things grow in Alabama, though the even _more_ temperate State of California grows grapes and fruit and nuts. My grandmother on my mom's side is from California, which is on the West Coast. The US makes up most of a continent you know. I'm telling you about my world because nowhere, anywhere, is any mention made of Earth in all of the Star Wars mythos. I've often wondered... what happened to the homeworld of the Humans?" Obi-Wan was a bit stunned. Rae was from the Home World? The Lost Planet of the Humans?

"Earth is... the Lost Planet," he said. Rae sighed.

"Well... that's one way of doing it. I guess this writer doesn't want to have it be blown up or something. Oh! Maybe it got sucked into a black hole and wound up in an alternate reality where it hadn't existed before and all the alien races were baffled by the new life forms they came across when examining the anomaly! Eh, it'd be kinda fun, don't you think? Then again, aliens might not exist in that universe, or just didn't bother with that part of the infinite universe and so Humans go about their business to this very day, uncaring that they are not longer in their original place in the multi-verse," she said. Obi-Wan couldn't help but think she was just a little bit endearing when she went off like that. It was odd and pretty much random, but kinda cute at the same time.

"Oh look, here we are," he said as the doors to the cafeteria swooshed open, a little glad for the interruption. He felt he was slipping into the 'falling in love with suddenly appearing OC' trap. But the worst thing was... _he wasn't so sure he cared._

/*/

Rae couldn't quite believe she had been babbling like that to Obi-Wan. Though, when she thought about it, it was perfectly understandable. Especially considering her personality. She babbled when she was excited or nervous. And she was most definitely both right now. And Obi-Wan seemed to like her! Oh, why did she have to get dragged into this? It wasn't right! And what about her family? Rae sighed. Was she going to end up like Penny? Only... this wasn't the High Past filled with Elves and Rangers and Magic. No. This was the future, for all the movies say 'long long ago in a galaxy far far away,' filled with Jedi, space travel, laser weapons, too many alien languages to count, and a boatload of danger and mysticism that she knew too much of as a Non-Sensitive and yet, didn't know at all. The man beside her, Obi-Wan, took her arm and guided her to the bar... or what she was going to call a bar. "Could we have two jaffa juices please?" he asked, his smooth mellow voice with just a hint of a British accent washing over her. The server said nothing, though his eyes sparkled somewhat as he handed over the drinks. "My thanks," Obi-Wan said as he then lead the now-silent Rae over to a seat. "You're being rather quite. What happened to Madam Chatterbox?" he asked. Rae jerked slightly. Young Obi had a sense of humor? Why didn't they show _that_ in the movie? Or had they? The prequel trilogy was more or less a total flop and she only remembered the action scenes from most of them. The first one was the one she remembered the most of though, and she still wasn't too sure they had shown Obi-Wan's sense of humor. All the same, a small smile tugged at her lips and she grasped the smooth cup in her small, cold hands.

"She... caught on to her situation," she said softly, then looked up at the Jedi across from her. "Look, I'm sorry for babbling like that at you. I was just..." she said, reaching out to him before trailing off, not knowing how to express what she was currently going through properly.

"In shock?" he suggested. Rae hadn't noticed she'd looked away until he spoke. She returned her gaze to him to see a faint glimmer of amusement in his green-blue eyes. She looked again away quickly. So what if he was cute? How old was he anyway? Sixteen? No, he was... twenty-five. Well, that was a bit better. Why did she think he was sixteen? Oh yeah! Because he was sixteen years older than Anakin! Oh wait, he had suggested something. What was it? Oh yeah!

"You could say that," she said, contemplating asking him about his life, but deciding her juice was more interesting. Sniffing, she decided it didn't _smell_ bad, and took a cautious sip. Finding it tasted quite a bit like grape juice, she started drinking gladly. When she dared look back up, Obi-Wan had a faint smile playing about his stern lips. "You should smile more," she heard herself say. Obi-Wan stiffened and she sighed, feeling a blush coming on. She had really said that out loud! And then her traitorous mouth continued on, digging her hole that much deeper. "Showing emotion... _feeling_ emotion... it's not wrong. It is human nature, Obi-Wan. And unless the time spent roaming the galaxy and settling worlds has somehow altered the genetic make-up of our race... you _need_ emotions. They... guide you. Stoicism is all well and good in war time, but for children who are growing? Who are learning? Joy, peace, love, safety... they _need_ that. Or Humans do at least. What I'm trying to say is; feel emotion, but do not let it rule you. Let it tell you what is wrong and what is good," she said, face still hot and flushed. Obi-Wan was stunned, or at least seemed stunned. She couldn't quite tell. She sighed and downed the last of her juice. "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan. I didn't mean to... whatever. Gah! I'm no good with words when they aren't typed out where I can go back over them and fix stuff and things. I'm gonna go look around and pray I don't bump into anyone unpleasant. It wouldn't be good for either of us," she said.

"No, I don't suppose it would be," Obi-Wan agreed with a nod. Rae gave him a rather enigmatic smile before leaving the young Jedi to his thoughts, which were likely as muddled as her own. Oh why couldn't she keep her mouth shut?! Finally, she found her way to a view port and stared out at the blur of hyperspace. She sighed, watching the blur, and letting her mind go blank. She couldn't think anymore and could feel that she needed a sort of detox. So, finding that the view port has a recessed ledge, she hopped up on it and curled in on herself, staring and letting her mind wander along familiar paths of stories and fluff and nothingness, enjoying a moment of quite, if not peace. She didn't know how long she sat there before the darkness of sleep overcame her.

/*/

Qui-Gon wasn't sure what to make of the strange girl who appeared out of nowhere as soon as they made the jump to hyperspace. She seemed harmless enough, but the things she said... it was troubling. He reported her arrival to the Queen before heading down to the cafeteria where he could sense his Padawan... and the girl. Her Force presence was... disturbed. As if the Force itself was a bit curious about her... or was having a bit of fun and wanted to make the poor Jedi Master's life difficult... or didn't want him to know too much about his visitor without asking. Obi-Wan's was disturbed as well, but in a much more readable way. He was confused, unsettled, wary, amused, and a little stunned. Then the sense of 'oh Force, _what?_ ' grew stronger and the girl's presence rapidly moved away from his Padawan, a single clear feeling present. Leave me alone. Sighing, Qui-Gon decided that the only way he was going to get any idea about the girl, aside from her rambling, half-mad deluge of information that made no sense from her arrival, was to talk to Obi-Wan. He found the young man staring at the door, but not really seeing it. He sighed. Looked like he had his work cut out for him. "Obi-Wan?" he questioned gently. Nearly mechanically, Obi-Wan looked at his master.

"She is nothing like any girl I have ever met, Master," he said hoarsely. Qui-Gon frowned. He knew who his Padawan was speaking of, but what caused _this_?

"Care to elaborate?" Qui-Gon asked. Obi-Wan shook his head, eyes clearing a little.

"What if the Code were wrong, Master? What if emotion... was needed? If love, attachment, was needed?" he asked. Qui-Gon frowned more heavily.

"What brought this on?" he asked. Obi-Wan sighed, and summarized the conversation he had had with the girl, Rae, once they sat down. "You're right, Obi-Wan. She is unlike any girl we've ever met."

"And she's from Earth, master," Obi-Wan added. Now _that_ was unexpected.

"Earth?" he asked. Obi-Wan nodded.

"And she had some rather interesting theories on what happened to Earth. You remember when she said she was in a fanfiction?" he said. Qui-Gon couldn't help the quirk of his lips at that.

"Yes. I believe the term she used was, 'Oh frack, I'm in a fanfiction,'" he said. Obi-Wan nodded and relied Rae's reaction to Earth being lost.

"It was... amusing," he finished with a faint smirk. Qui-Gon was rather amused himself.

"Yes, quite an interesting theory. As we have no real record of what happened, she might just be right. What did she tell you of our lost home world?" he asked, curious despite himself.

"There were multiple climates... on one continent," Obi-Wan said. Qui-Gon was a bit baffled by that. More than one climate? On just one continent? Qui-Gon listened eagerly to all his Padawan could relate of Earth, and the strange girl who had come from the mysterious planet. When they had shared all they could, they went off to find this baffling female. They found her curled up in a view port, asleep in a very uncomfortable position. Obi-Wan wasted no time scooping her up and carrying her to a sleep couch. Qui-Gon, had he been pretty much any other Jedi Master, would have been worried about the connection he could sense growing between the two, but he wasn't any old Jedi Master. He was Qui-Gon Jinn, and in this story, he was amazing and totally unconventional. Which really wasn't all that original, so the author didn't feel bad making him that way. So, he was cool with it. In fact, he almost wanted to encourage it. She was about three years younger than Obi-Wan, and she made him smile. Few people could do that anymore. He looked at his young Padawan as he arranged the girl on the couch, making sure the blanket was _just so_ , and chuckled to himself. Obi-Wan could be such a mother hen. Rae shifted, a hand flopping off of the couch and brushing against Obi-Wan's. Qui-Gon wasn't even sure if his apprentice noticed he was holding it, rubbing his slightly calloused thumb across the back of her hand.

"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope," the girl muttered, drawing the stricken Padawan closer without seeming to realize what she was doing. Qui-Gon chuckled.

"I don't think she's going to let you go for a while. May as well get comfortable, Hero," he said, voice light and teasing. Obi-Wan's face lit up like a bon-fire, but he slide under her head, replacing the pillow, and pulled her arm across her chest.

"She said something about a situation like this, Master," Obi-Wan said before Qui-Gon could slink off.

"Oh?" the elder Jedi prompted. He noticed the hazy, far off look in his Padawan's eyes, the lazy smirk on his lips, and felt happy for the young man.

"She gave me this worried look and said, 'You aren't thinking I'm cute are you? I'd hate for this to be one of those stories where one of the main characters falls in love with the randomly appearing OC like, immediately after they meet. Those are usually the Sickeningly Sweet Mary Sues with Grammar to Make a Sith Cry.' She said it so gravely, it sounded like she was telling me about the end of the world," Obi-Wan said. Qui-Gon chuckled.

"Well, the Force works in mysterious ways, Hero," he said. Obi-Wan shook his head.

"I'm no hero," he said softly. Rae shifted again, then her eyelashes fluttered slightly. The two Jedi turned their attention to her and slowly, she opened her eyes. She blinked. Closed her eyes and shook her head a little, then blinked again.

"Hello. Are we at Comic-con?" she asked. "Those are _really_ cool costumes! They almost look real! And hey _wait_! What do you think you're doing, holding my head in your lap?! I could sue you for sexual harassment you know!" she said, quickly getting angry. Obi-Wan quickly got out from under her, shock clear in his features, for once.

"We are not at Comic-con, whatever that is, and these are not costumes. They are our Jedi robes. And Obi-Wan was following your wishes... sort of. You, er, you took his hand when you were asleep and didn't want to let go," Qui-Gon said gently. Obi-Wan now looked a bit offended.

"You also said something odd while you were asleep," he said. Rae's face grew panicked. "You said, 'Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope.' Do you have any idea what you started with that? Master won't let me live it down for _years!_ If he ever does!" he ranted. Rae blinked, looked between the two, blinked again, then bust out laughing.

"Oh man! Your face! It's just... HA!" she said, rolling back. Obi-Wan huffed, then stormed out of the room. Rae struggled to bring her laughter under control, then looked to Qui-Gon. "Go easy on him would ya? He's got a long hard road ahead of him... even if my presence changes things a fair bit," she said solemnly. Qui-Gon felt a shiver go down his back. Was this what Obi-Wan had meant, when he said she sounding like she was speaking of the end of the world? Only this... this wasn't even slightly amusing. This was terrifying. "Will you help him? Or will you fall? Will you guide him? Or will he find his own way? No-one can know the whole future, Qui-Gon, because the very knowledge of it, changes the path one walks and thus, changes the future," she said before getting up and vanishing down the corridor. She left a rather shaken Qui-Gon behind.

/*/

' _Idiot! Why did you do that?! Stupid! Dumkoff! Baka! Idiota! Stupido! Stultus! Sot! Идиот! Hurtyn!'_ Rae ranted in her head, face hot and flushed as she stormed down the hall. She had no clue where she was going, but she knew she couldn't stay with the Jedi. Spotting a sitting area, she turned in and sat on the couch, staring at the coffee table. A moment later, she swung her legs up and propped her ankles on the arm rest before reaching around behind her and tucking a pillow under her head. Laying there, she sighed and stared at the ceiling. "I can't believe this is happening," she muttered. Another sigh and she looked around for writing implements. Spotting what looked like a PADD from _Star Trek_ , she swiped it and opened it up. Grinning, she realized it was in English. "Lucky~!" she sang as she looked for a note app. Her grin widened slightly when she spotted it. Once the app was open, she eagerly began typing out her frustrations, worries, questions, and fangirling craziness.

/*/

 _Star Date... I haven't got a clue._

 _Quadrant... do they even have those?_

 _Location... aboard a ship that, before lunch, I was_ sure _was merely the product of a brilliantly creative mind._

 _Status... what do you think? I'm freaking out here!_

 _Who I've met... well, I've met Qui-Gon Jinn and his padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Yeah. Luckily, I have yet to actually met Padme so, thank goodness for small mercies. Same goes for Jar-Jar. Crazy walking disaster. Ya know, there's a crazy fan-theory that_ Jar-Jar _is the real Sith Lord and he's going to show up in some later movie as the supreme evil that the new Jedi Order must vanquish. HA! If he was a full grown Gungan when Anakin was a little boy, it's highly unlikely that he'd be alive when_ Luke _could have_ grand-babies! _But hey, it's a fan theory. And who knows, maybe Luke_ did _fight Jar-Jar on some distant planet. Off screen. MAN! Now I wanna see that fight! Pou~! Anyway... yeah. I'm in the_ Star Wars _universe about Queen Amidala's personal cruiser. I'm unsure if they're headed to Tattoine, Courosant, or Naboo, but wherever we're headed, it's gonna be a long day. I just hope they can drop me off somewhere civilized and clean so I can... do what? Live out my life here? Forget about my home, my family? Am I now a literal college dropout? I... I don't know if I have any marketable skills. Could I make a living here, in this universe? What would I do? Is James going to be okay without me? Will Grammy be able to handle his schooling or is he going back to public school? Will I ever see them again? Do they know what happened to me? GAH! So many questions and not enough answers!_

 _Okay okay okay... what_ can _I do? Well... I can write. I can read. I can lecture. I can carry plates and cups. I can give minute long back rubs. I can play with cats. I can play with dogs. I can use a search engine and a word processor and a keyboard. I can lift and carry and follow directions. I can clean. I can usually keep a child entertained. What does that get me?_

 _Waitress._

 _Editor._

 _Dog walker._

 _House sitter?_

 _Babysitter?_

 _Farmhand?_

… _This is gonna suck, isn't it? Guh, why did this happen? Why me? Why_ now _?! What am I_ doing _here?! A~nd now my thoughts have come full circle. Ya know, in all the stories when a character says they have to 'go think,' I'm fairly sure half the time they're just sitting there, staring into nothing, with a faint buzzing in their mind as they try to keep their thoughts from running in circles like a dog chasing its tail. Because that's kinda how I feel right now. I've asked the questions, I've felt the existential_ dread and horror _, I've pondered what I'm gonna do now and now I'm just... at a loss. I'm drawing a blank. Even my emotions are drawing a blank. How should I feel about all this? Should I be excited? I mean, I am living a Star Wars fan's dream... but on the other hand, I'm in very real danger here. This is Q_ ueen Amidala's personal cruiser _! The Naboo Crisis! The very beginning of the Star Wars Saga! The Clone Wars are only ten years away! Okay, so it's ten years away, plenty of time to prepare, but what about the battle of Naboo? Am I going to find a place to stay in Courasant and just try to forget the Jedi and the Queen and then let things play out or am I going to stay in contact with them, involve myself in their lives? I'm no soldier! I've never purposely hurt anyone! It's been_ years _since I've even_ sparred! _And my little air pistol... well. Let's just say, I've never shot a gun, much less a blaster. And then there's the whole 'thou shalt not kill' commandment. Not to mention the fact that I have a minor case of hemophobia. So, soldier is out as as possible career._

 _Still, it's pretty cool that I'm in space with a royal and a pair of Jedi, not to mention droids._

 _But I'm pretty sure there's always going to be that nagging feeling in the back of my mind... What's going on at home?_

 _And let's not forget the ache in my heart for what I've left behind._

 _Gee, I sure hope I don't turn Emo from all this. Brooding when left alone would be a horrible way to live. I'm looking at you, Sasuke, looking at you. And Kakashi. Poor saps. I will not fall prey to your traps! Heh heh, 'it's a trap.' Okay, I think I hear someone. Better delete this before they take the PADD away and read it. Yikes, wouldn't want that._

/*/

Rae swiftly deleted the 'journal entry' and tossed the PADD back onto the table, returning to her causal sprawl. Whoever she was expecting, it wasn't Padme Amidala herself. 'Me and my big mouth,' Rae thought, fighting not to grimace as the girl Queen sat across from her. In full regalia. "Your Majesty," Rae said, hastily swinging herself back into an upright position before standing for a bow. Part of her thought it was a whole lot of unnecessary up and down, but it was what she understood was expected when greeting royalty.

"You may be seated," Amidala said, motioning back to the couch. Rae eased herself back down, her eyes never leaving the floor. "Look at me, please," the Queen plead. Gladly, Rae raised her head.

"How might I help you today, Your Majesty?" she asked, truly curious.

"Master Jinn has told Us of your manner of arrival. We would hear it from you," the Queen answered. Rae shrugged.

"There... really isn't much to tell, Your Majesty," she said. "One moment I was in my house, back on Earth, walking into my kitchen for a glass of water, and then the next moment I was in front of Master Qui-Gon Jinn and Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"What was your life on Earth like?"

"Well, that's a long story... and an incredibly short one," Rae said, leaning back in the couch and glancing up at the roof of the cruiser. "Really, I had a boring life," she said, tilting her head back down to give the Queen a rather bland look. Amidala shook her head.

"Tell me anyway," she said. Rae smirked, hearing the girl behind the make up make an appearance.

"Well, I was born and raised in the state of Alabama, the South East portion of the state anyway. I had a loving mother and father, a sister, a brother, three cats and a very loyal dog. My sister had moved out and gotten married in her final year of college. She went on to work in her field of study, graphic design. I had moved out of my parents' house a year and a half ago, landing a part-time job at a small bookshop, working inventory in the afternoons. Of course, this left me as the perfect candidate to act as my brother's teacher during the day. I'll confess, I was only ever good at teaching him History. Though, he picked up on Science pretty well, English is a very tricky thing to teach when you get it on more of an instinctual level, and math is just plain hard to explain when you only half remember your own math classes. Anyway, I taught James in the morning, worked evenings, and took college courses online when I had the time in between."

"What were you studying?" Amidala asked, leaning forward slightly. Rae chuckled.

"Broadcasting. I wanted to learn how to run the equipment and mix the sound to produce the best quality," she admitted.

"How did you do?"

"Honestly? It wasn't all I thought it would be," Rae admitted, looking a little disappointed. And honestly, she was. All that time and effort and money put into something she wasn't likely to use.

"We thank you for telling Us," Amidala said, standing. Rae scrambled to her feet as well, knowing it was considered rude to sit while royalty stood.

"My pleasure, Your Majesty. I think talking about my past life has made it easier to move on and accept that I'm stuck here, at least for the foreseeable future," she told the girl Queen. ' _Even if I can 'foresee' more than most Jedi_ ,' she mused to herself. And that just brought a whole host of other questions she didn't have the answer to. A large yawn threatened to split her head in two and she gave Amidala a sheepish look. "Might I trouble you for a comfortable place to sleep? This has been a rather stressful day." Nodding, the Queen directed one of the ship's guard to take Rae to the barracks. Resigning herself to a restless night, Rae followed. The rest of the day was a hazy blur and if asked, she'd say she didn't remember anything more until breakfast the following morning.

/?/

A/N: So there you have it, the first chapter. What do you think? Let me know in that box down below!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Not mine. Really!

To RandomCorpse826: Thanks for being the first reviewer for 'Don't Freak Out: The Beginning'! Also, love the quote. Fits perfectly. As for mister 'I just want to go home and forget you all exist,' sad to say he might not make an appearance until the collection of one-shots 'Don't Freak Out: The Calm before the Storm' as more of a Gruff Mentor. Still, it's a good idea. Thanks!

 **Chapter 2:** Hey Look! Sand!

Rae grumbled as she played with the slop they called food on this hunk of metal they called a ship. Okay, so she was being a little harsh, but she felt justified in her irritation. She wouldn't say she was angry, not really, but she was most definitely miffed. Why was she feeling miffed? Well,because she felt a crush on Kenobi forming. Now, it wasn't Kenobi she had a problem with, it was the fact that she was falling for him after only one day. Why was she the one falling for him? Sure, the guy got the short end of the stick many times, but it all... worked... out... Okay. So he got killed by his fallen Padawan that he had once loved as a brother. And he had to look after Luke who started out _really_ whiny and a true Farmboy. And, yeah, he lost his father figure(she shoved that thought away, not wanting to think of that particular, looming, death). But all of that doesn't mean _she_ should fall for him! What about Siri? Or that Mandalorian Duchess? What was her name... Satine? Eh, it was something like that anyway. Shoddy memory for names she barely eve heard aside, why her? Rae sighed and forced herself to eat what might, in some dire circumstance, have passed as oatmeal. That was when Obi-Wan came and sat down beside her. With a groan, she let her head fall forward and connect with the table with a meaty sounding 'thunk.' "And here I thought I could cheer you up with the news we were about to come out of hyperspace," he said, mild amusement coloring his voice. Rae shifted her head so she could glare at him.

"Drown in your cornflakes, morning person," she growled with an ineffectual glare, if the smirk her personal distraction wore was any indication. Obi-Wan shook his head.

"Wow, you are really grouchy," he remarked dryly. She snorted, laboriously lifting herself back off the table... before slumping against it, right hand propping up her heavy head. She was _not_ a morning person, and considering the fact that she was on a Star Wars ship, if not the most famous un-named ship in the franchise... well. She hadn't slept well the previous night.

"What happened to The Great Negotiator?" she asked. He gave her a confused look and she repeated her Head Table routine, arm comically remaining in place as she groaned against the cold metal. "Right. Not yet. Darn. I could _really_ use his brand of wisdom right now. Oh well, that's life. I'd say it in French, but the writer can't spell it," she said, voice only barely muffled. Obi-Wan chuckled again.

"How do you know this is a... fanfiction?" he asked. She gave him another Look... which he again responded to with a faint smirk.

"I cannot tell you how many of this type of story I've come across. Honest. There's lots. And there are bound to be more that I simply haven't found. Of course, I haven't found this cliche used in _this_ fandom, but I'm sure there are some... or there will be," she said. Obi-Wan shook his head just as Qui-Gon entered. "Great. Tag team. Simply wonderful. So, what is it now?" Rae asked. Qui-Gon shook his head.

"Relax. I asked one of the Queen's Handmaidens if she had any clothes you could borrow so you could get cleaned up after our trip into town," he said. Rae latched onto the end of that sentence.

"Our trip? Into town? As in Mos Espa? Oh no! No way! Unuh! I am not going into that sand trap! I hate sand! And it's hot! Hotter than noon on my birthday! All the time! Oh heck no!" she said, rebelling against the idea of actually going to Tatooine. "Besides, Padme should go with you. She has someone she needs to meet down there. Please, just leave me here," she added, more like begged really but really, who could blame her? Tatooine was, in the words of Old!Obi-Wan, 'A wretched hive of scum and villainy.' Sure he only said that about one city but come on! Tatooine was, is, basically a Slave World ruled by giant, sentient, _slugs!_ So no, she did not want to go planet-side. Qui-Gon shook his head all the same and Rae deflated sightly. 'Stupid Jedi and their Holy-ier than Thou attitude,' she muttered unpleasantly within her mind.

"The Queen requested that you come with us. She will not take no for an answer," Qui-Gon told her firmly, though not unkindly. Rae sighed. So, Padme was just as stubborn as Anakin. Lovely.

"Fine, but I want a hood and cowl. Ain't no way I'm lettin' sand get in my mouth _or_ my hair if I can help it! Are there any goggles on board? You might want some. Sand gets everywhere you know," she said, resigned. Qui-Gon nodded and left, presumably to get what she had requested. She sighed and sat back. "This... is going to be a _long_ week," she said, thinking about what she knew of the Naboo Crisis. Tatooine was just the sandy tip of a _Titanic_ worthy iceberg, if her admittedly excellent memory was to be believed. After the train-wreck of a podrace gamble, they'd take Anakin back to Planet Politico/Every-City-and-Standard-of-Living-Smushed-Together where they'd have to dance around not only the Jedi Council, but also the Senate. Which included Palpatine. ' _Ugh. So not looking forward to that_ ,' Rae groused to herself, unconsciously scrunching her face in distaste. Then they went back to Naboo, Jar-Jar bumbled his way through a battle, Maul was a Sith-level Jerk, Obi-Wan had his Beserk Button punching in the gut(pun not intended... or was it?), Anakin got a taste for Dog Fighting while simultaniously blowing up a droid control ship, Qui-Gon pulled a Mentor Occupational Hazard and Passed the Torch to Obi-Wan, the Gungans were recognized, big parade, Obi-Wan was made a Knight, Anakin was his Apprentice, and then... "Ten years..." Rae mused, mind turning from the plot of the movies, and some of the animated shows, and onto what she could do with those ten years.

/*/

Obi-Wan couldn't help but agree with Rae's prediction. He had a bad feeling about all this, and his bad feelings were generally right. However, when he looked at Rae... he felt a _good_ feeling. She was like nothing he had ever seen before, though that one Duchess on Mandalore came close. He watched as her fists flexed before she blew out a harsh breath. "Are there any punching bags on board? I need to hit something. Hitting things is good stress relief... and it might help me _not_ get into a fight," she said. Obi-Wan smiled faintly and motioned her to follow him. Soon, they were at the room set aside as a gym. She gave a grin. "Brilliant," she said, shrugging off her jacket and easing into a back stance. Obi-Wan watched as she laid into the bag with her fists, elbows, knees, and feet. She appeared to hold nothing back, the bag swinging wildly, battle cries ripping their way from her throat. He could see holes in her form and ways to make her strikes more powerful and energy efficient, but he could tell she was above the average civilian.

"You're pretty good. Care for a spar?" he asked, shucking off his outer robe. She turned to him, eyes bright and bouncing on her toes.

"Take it easy on me soldier! I'm not a fighter you know," she said, though there was a teasing lilt to her words. Obi-Wan couldn't help but smirk at her before attacking. She dodged and blocked and countered and attacked, but Obi-Wan knew he was the better fighter, even if Jedi didn't usually use their fists to fight. Most preferred their lightsabers. Despite that, the fight was over in two minutes. Obi-Wan won. She huffed and puffed, face red and eyes bright. "I told you, I'm no fighter." He laughed.

"You did fairly well, Rae. Don't sell yourself short," he said, helping her up. She shook her head at him, then fell into him as the ship exited hyperspace. She made a rather impressive face.

"Let me guess... Sand Pit Time," she groused. Obi-Wan bit down on his chuckles and set her back on her feet.

"Yes, we just came out of hyperspace," he informed her. Rae looked up at him and sighed.

"Get ready, Obi-Wan, this is when the 'fun' _really_ begins," she said ominously before heading out of the gym. Obi-Wan sighed, running his hand through his short hair.

"I really don't like it when she talks like that," he muttered, that bad feeling of his coming back full force.

/*/

Rae was pleased with the extra clothing offered to her. A head scarf, a face mask that reminded her of Kakashi from _Naruto_ , and a pair of darkly tinted goggles that fit over her glasses. She really hadn't been looking forward to getting her glasses sandblasted. Once she was properly kitted out, she took a quick look in the mirror. "I look like a Middle East freedom fighter," she chuckled to herself, then shook her head and joined the 'away team.'

"Are you ready?" Qui-Gon asked. She sighed.

"As I'll ever be. You do have money on you, right?" she asked, even though she knew he wouldn't. Silly Jedi, thinking everyone would accept credit.

"I'm sure we have enough credits to purchase what we need," the Jedi hedged. She narrowed her eyes, even if he couldn't see them.

"We're in the literal middle of no-where, in the most miserable, backwater, dust-bowl in the system, which is home to some of the most wretched hives of filth and villainy in the galaxy... and you think Republic Credits will be accepted as valid currency?" Rae asked, ignoring Obi-Wan's amused smirk and Padme's confused face. It would not do for her to start laughing now, no sir.

"We're still within Republic space," Qui-Gon hedged once more. Rae shook her head at him.

"What are they teaching Jedi these days," she muttered, then looked to Padme. "Does Her Majesty carry any other form of currency aboard Her cruiser?" she asked.

"No," Padme responded. "She doesn't often travel to the Outer Rims."

"Well then... that's just _dandy!_ We'll have to trust that Qui-Gon's faith is not misplaced, though, knowing my luck, we'll have to bet money we don't have down at the race track just to get something to eat!" Rae ranted in a poor attempt at a personal in-joke, seeing as she knew that was basically what would end up happening, before stalking out the door. "Let's just get this over with, alright? I don't want to drag this nightmare out longer than it needs to be," she called back. Qui-Gon shared a look with Padme before following Rae, swiftly overtaking the petite woman.

"This should be interesting," Padme muttered softly before following along with Jar-Jar.

/*/

Qui-Gon was wondering why, in the Force, did he take Jar-Jar Binks with him. Rae didn't help much either. She was arguing with the thing. And growling. And calling him the king of goobers. What, exactly, a goober was, Qui-Gon had no idea, but it sounded like it fit Jar-Jar perfectly. When he saw the town looming in the sand, the Jedi Master was quite pleased. ' _Perhaps this incessant bickering will finally end!_ ' he thought, speeding up slightly.

"Master Jinn? Could you kindly take pity on us poor mortals cursed with lesser stature than yourself?" Rae asked, a faint strain in her voice, like she was trying not to sound winded. He sighed. Perhaps he _was_ pushing it a bit. Only Jar-Jar could claim to match his height and the other two _were_ female. Not that females were in any way inferior to males, they were simply different. Plus, Rae was a civilian. She wasn't used to hiking through sand like this. And she had been a trooper, making it this far with out complaining. And she was polite in her request. He slowed a bit. "My thanks, Master Jinn," Rae said, a smile in her voice. Qui-Gon nodded his head to the girl, though he didn't turn. Soon, they entered the town. Rae made a bee line to a matronly looking Human. "Can you understand me?" she asked. The woman smiled.

"Yes dearie, I speak Basic," she said. Rae's eyes twinkled briefly.

"And here my people thought Chinese would be the Language of the Stars. Who would've thought _English_ would become Basic!" she said. The woman looked at her oddly. "Long story. Anyway, we need parts for a, what is it? J something Nubian?" Rae said, looking back at Qui-Gon. He nodded and gave the correct name for the make and model. "I hear Watto's the guy to ask about parts. Real honest about what he has, if not the worth. Could you tell us how to get there?" Rae asked. Now Qui-Gon was wondering what the girl was up to. No-one had mentioned a Watto on the ship, and... wait. This must be part of the fanfiction thing she'd mentioned before. Yeah, that was it. She _knew_ things. And she was on their side, which was pretty awesome. If she mentioned Watto, then he must have what they needed. When they reached the shop the woman pointed them toward, Rae immediately grabbed Jar-Jar and tied his hands behind his back. "Sorry Jar-Jar, but I'd like to _not_ have spare parts rain down on my head. So... I'll be guiding you around. If I sit you down, you _stay_ down, got it?" she hissed in the Gungan's ear. He nodded, a slightly fearful look stealing over his froggy face.

"Aren't you being a bit harsh?" asked Padme. Rae gave her a blank look.

"Trouble. Electro. Magnet," she said pointedly. Qui-Gon chuckled.

"She has a point," he said. Rae beamed at him and the Jedi Master had to fight down a warm feeling in his chest. Was this what it was like having a daughter? He'd only had male apprentices, and they had been raised as Jedi. Perhaps... this girl would be good for both him and Obi-Wan. Shaking these thought from his head, he entered negotiations with the toydarian who owned the shop... and a little boy.

/*/

Rae decided that she really didn't like the little flying alien. He was greedy, he was smelly, he was a slaver owner... what was there to like? Anakin, however, was a little cutie. "Well now, here's someone I could stand talking to," she said, sliding up to the counter. "I'm Rae, and these are my friends, Padme and Jar-Jar," she said to Anakin. He smiled up at her, but when his eyes landed on Padme, she saw something pass through them, kinda like the 'zing' in Hotel Transylvania. She chuckled. "Do you believe in love at first sight, Anakin?" she asked, then kicked herself when he looked at her in shock.

"How do you know my name?" he asked. She sighed, but smiled.

"The stars told me," she said.

"Rae... can you ever give a straight answer?" Padme asked. Rae chuckled.

"I did. It just doesn't make sense to you," she countered. Just then, Jar-Jar looked like he was getting too close to a stack of parts and Rae hustled him outside.

"Whysa yousa doing that?" Jar-Jar asked. Rae gave the amphibious alien a Look.

"You were about to poke your nose where it didn't belong," she said evenly.

/*/

Jar-Jar wasn't stupid, he was just different. Almost like autism. Anyway, he wasn't stupid. He could reason things out, just not the way most people did. And right then, Jar-Jar wasn't sure what to make of this new addition to their mission. She was odd, as all humans were, but more so. She knew things, things she likely shouldn't. And she could alternate between unnervingly perky and chatty to withdrawn and prickly at a moment's notice. Like now. She had been quite and contemplative on their way to the shop and then, when she saw the boy, she had gone all chatty, but not like she had with him on the way to town. No. She spoke like a Seer. She _knew_ things. And from the sounds of it, they were terrible. "Please stop staring," she asked softly. He sighed, something he wasn't quite used to doing.

"Yousa... strange," he said. She turned to him, a vaguely questioning look in her eyes.

"So are you. Does that make you dangerous?" she asked, voice still soft. He shook his head.

"Mesa no meanin it like _dat_. Mesa just sayin... yousa _different_. Yousa knowin what yousa no need be knowin. Howsa yousa knowin dem?" he asked. She blinked.

"Since when were you perceptive?" she asked. Jar-Jar smiled.

"When peoples boder lookin," he said. She chuckled, then looked up at the sandy sky.

"Jar-Jar... I know what this mission _could_ turn out as. I know the _most likely_ outcome. If I hadn't shown up... what I know would likely be _exactly_ what happens to you, and your companions. So much pain, so much fear, so much _death_... that cute little boy? I know what can, and likely _will_ , happen to him, and it makes me feel cold inside. The Queen? I know how she'll likely die, and it makes me want to cry just thinking of it. Obi-Wan? His future makes me want to hug him and tell him _it wasn't his fault._ You? I'm... not too sure how you end up, and I am glad of that. I am so glad... because that means I won't be thinking about your demise every time I see you. Jar-Jar... what I know is terrible and tells me that the future is dark and painful and won't get better for, like, forty years! I don't know why I'm telling you this, Jar-Jar. Maybe I just need to get it off my chest and you're here. You won't tell anyone, will you?" she said, suddenly looking at him with fearful eyes. Jar-Jar felt his heart ache for her. She was so brave, so far from home and around people whose futures she had Seen.

"Mesa no tellin nobody! Yousa... yousa no needin dat. Ah, Rae-Rae, yousa so brave. Yousa bombad lady," he said. She chuckled.

"Thank you, Jar-Jar. I'm glad you were the one I ended up ranting like this to. You're a good listener, you know that?" she said, turning to face him properly. Sure she was Human and he was Gungun, but he thought she was quite pretty when she smiled like that. He'd keep her secret, and he'd help her how he could.

"Okei-dokie. Nowsa, what yousa sayin bout love?" he said. She chuckled again, a mischievous smirk on her lips.

"The Queen and the Slave. Sounds like a bad soap opera, doesn't it?" she said. Jar-Jar nearly choked. The boy and the Queen? Did that mean...

"Padme da _queen?!_ " he asked in shock. Rae grinned at him.

"You catch on quicker than the movies made out," she said. He shook his head. "Beginning to wish those pesky Jedi had just left you alone, aren't you?" she said. He gave her his own Look. "Eh, don't get too bothered by it. As far as I can tell, the _big_ trouble won't be for another ten years yet. And you'll get some respect, Jar-Jar. Just stick with it," she said before she stood and vainly tried to brush the sand off of her. "I do believe they're done. Let us collect our companions, hum?" and then she was back in the store. Jar-Jar shook his head. Yes, he didn't quite know what to make of her, but he did know she was good. That was enough for him.

/*/

Anakin was confused by these off-worlders. The first girl, the one who had tied up the tall pale red skinned alien, was odder than most deep space pilots but she seemed nice... if a bit foreboding. Her manner of dress was a bit different, except for the head dress and goggles, but that wasn't what had him wary of her. He honestly didn't know what set him on edge around Spacey, but something was definitely off. The alien was trouble on legs, even he could tell. The tall man was dangerous. He had a light sword. That meant he was a Jedi. The last one though... she was beautiful, like an angle. He liked her. She listened. When Watto told him he could go, he left happily, and was passing a stand when he saw Trouble on Legs getting harassed by his greatest opponent in the podraces. Getting the Dug off Trouble on Legs was easy. Dealing with Spacey muttering about how she hated sand and how she wished storms in the desert came with rain was the difficult part. Though, why she was muttering about desert storms he didn't know. And then he was told by Madam Marsh that a storm was coming. "See? This is why I didn't want to come!" Spacey complained. Tall Guy gave her a look, but she ignored it and kept muttering about stubborn people and plot points.

"Where is your ship?" Akakin asked.

"On the outskirts," replied Angle. Anakin blinked. The outskirts? They walked into town from the _outskirts?_ And they expected to beat the storm back when Madam Marsh could already feel it coming? Nope. Not going to happen. The outskirts were too far away and storms moved quickly. So he took them to his house.

"Thank you, young one," the tall man said.

"No problem Master Qui-Gon sir," Anakin said, closing the door behind Spacey. She pulled down her mask and removed her goggles, grinning at him with her eyes twinkling like she knew something. Crazy woman.

/*/

Qui-Gon kept getting a weird feeling off of the boy. It was as though the Force were screaming out, but he couldn't hear what it said. It was a rather uncomfortable feeling for the Jedi Master. He noticed the boy had a scrape on his arm, and decided to take the opportunity. "Anakin, might I take a look at your arm?" he asked. Out of the comer of his eye, he could see Rae smirking at him, like she knew what he was feeling and why, but that it amused her to watch him flounder. He had a feeling he was really going to hate that smirk.

"Okay," Anakin said, holding out his arm. Qui-Gon quickly took a blood sample before cleaning the small abrasion.

"All done," Qui-Gon said.

"Hey, Mister Qui-Gon sir, do you know how to talk to the stars?" Anakin asked. Qui-Gon blinked. Okay. He'd heard some weird things in his life, but talking to stars?

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Well, when you came to Watto's shop, Rae knew my name before I said it. When I asked, she said the stars told her," Anakin explained, looking puzzled. Qui-Gon shook his head.

"Rae is... difficult for even myself to understand. Especially when she beginnings ranting. You'd have to ask her yourself," he said. Anakin sighed.

"Why did I have a feeling you'd say that?" he asked.

"Because of who you are, Fearless Hero," Rae said from behind them. "Your mother says dinner's ready, Anakin. I need to talk to Qui-Gon for a bit, alright?" she continued. Anakin was still confused, but went to help his mother.

/*/

Rae sighed as she watched Anakin head back to his mother. "Such an innocent boy. Seeing him in the flesh makes what I know of his future so much harder to bear," she said softly, almost as though she were speaking to herself more than Qui-Gon, watching the cute little nine year old bounce away. Qui-Gon clearing his throat made her turn around and give him her full attention. "Qui-Gon... be honest with that boy. He doesn't need you sugar coating things. Honestly, that could hurt him more in the future. What the boy needs is honesty, and discipline, and support. He's smart, but he's headstrong as well. It's something of a family trait." She leveled the Jedi what she hoped was a piercing look, but had a feeling it failed. "He was raised with love and attachment as the only things holding him out of the miry darkness. Do not force him to forsake his emotions. He _will_ rebel. Another Skywalker trait," she said gravely. Nodding, she left the Jedi to do what he would and went to get dinner. Qui-Gon came a moment later and they enjoyed a pleasant meal. When the others had gone off to bed, Rae went up to Anakin's mother. "Your son loves you very much," she told the woman. Shmi smiled and nodded.

"He's a good boy." Rae nodded as well.

"Shmi... I know things. I told a little to Anakin earlier, but I need you to know something," she said. Rae could see the older woman stiffen a little. "You will be freed, but not yet. You will find peace, but if I cannot change things, you will die within ten years." Shmi gawked at Rae. "I know, bombshell. But I didn't know when I'd be able to come back here. As far as I know, sometime before Anakin turns nineteen, you're going to be bought off of Watto by a moisture farmer named... I can't pronounce his given name, but his surname is Lars. He has a son of his own. When Lars buys you, eventually, he'll free and marry you. Don't be afraid to. If I can, I'll try to make it out here around the time of the trouble I know is likely to come after you. Your death may be able to be avoided, and if it is... it would help keep the galaxy as we know it from collapsing. You are very important to Anakin and if he saw you die, in his arms... it would drive him to the brink of madness. A mad Jedi is a very dangerous thing, Shmi, and Anakin won't be just any Jedi. He'll be one of the most powerful, if unfocused, Jedi ever. And I'm going to be working on the anger management and focus issues alongside his master, whether they like it or not," she expounded, a little shocked by herself. She hadn't been aware of the decision to so firmly implant herself into the fabric of the Star Wars plot but once she said it... it felt _right_. Shmi shook her head.

"How do you know?" she asked. Rae smiled sadly at her.

"That... is a story more unbelievable than what I've already laid on you, so forgive me if I do not tell it," she said. Shmi sighed, but nodded. Rae smiled, her eyes feeling dry and heavy. "I need sleep. I've been doing all the talking for days!" she said. Shmi smiled as the young woman went to the couch and curled up.

"Sleep well, Rae Mayar. I'll wake you for breakfast," she said. Rae smiled as she settled deeper into the couch, seeking sleep.

/*/

Obi-Wan was _not_ worried. Rae had given him the feeling that they'd get off the giant 'sand pit' in good time, and that nothing truly horrible would happen for another ten years. No, Obi-Wan was not worried. But he still didn't like Rae being out there. Tatoonie had a reputation! A hard earned one at that. She was less handy in a fight than Padme, though he'd still trust her to watch his back better than Jar-Jar. So when Qui-Gon checked in, Obi-Wan was _very_ happy and asked after the rest. "Rae is fine, Obi-Wan. No trouble at all. In fact, she saved us some time at the junk store and kept Jar-Jar out of trouble. Though... now he's a little wary around her. I'm not entirely sure if it's fear... or awe. It seems she told him something of herself and he's not quite sure how to take it," Qui-Gon said. Obi-Wan chuckled.

"Yes, she does seem to have that affect on people. How long should you be master? I'm quite eager to get off this planet," he said. Qui-Gon sighed.

"We have to stay for the podrace. It's the only way to get the part we need. Also, I want you to check the midicholrian count in the blood sample I sent you," he said. Obi-Wan sighed, mildly agitated, but did as he was asked. The result he got was crazy.

"Master... it's off the charts. Not even Yoda has a count this high! Who is this?" he asked. He heard his master chuckle and felt tendrils of amusement through their bond.

"A nine year old boy named Anakin. Rae knew him on sight." Obi-Wan couldn't help the swift intake of breath at the news. Rae had proven to him that if she knew something, it was important. And if she knew Anakin on sight...

"It's him, isn't it? The Chosen One?" he asked. Qui-Gon sent a smile along the bond and the young man felt a brief flash of pride.

"Most likely. Rae seemed to know a lot about his future. She confused him a great deal when they met. He asked me if I could talk to stars, because she told him that's how she knew his name. Would you talk to her when we get back to the ship?"

"I don't think that would do much good master. She seems to take joy in being confusing," Obi-Wan said. Qui-Gon sighed again.

"We may be a while. Take care, my Padawan."

"Sleep well master, and may the Force be with you," Obi-Wan answered before shutting down the comm. He leaned back and thought about this Anakin kid. Had Rae mentioned him at all? He didn't think she had. But she knew him. He sighed and sank into meditation. He didn't particularly like meditation, but it felt like the thing to do. A small smile tugged at his lips. It seems, Rae would be having him meditate a whole lot more than he was used to. The Force was comforting as he slipped into Its embrace. He contemplated Rae and what she had told him. The Force showed him a vision of her watching a show on a computer. It appeared to be a computer generated show about a war.

 _'Anakin! Slow down!'_ a Jedi General said in a reasonable approximation of his own voice. Anakin?

 _'It'll be fine master!_ ' the Anakin character said. Obi-Wan wondered if this was part of the 'mythos' Rae had mentioned. The scene changed and the auburn haired Jedi was suspended by his ankles in a force shield headed straight for a masher. Rae snickered at his comments as he approached death.

"Ah Obi-Wan. Master of sarcasm," Rae said with a smirk. More scenes flashed by; a few fights, a few negotiations; and then he was back on the ship. He sighed.

"Well, that just gave me more questions!" he groused, though he did wonder if he could really be that general and if Anakin would really be that close a friend. He shook his head and went back to waiting for the 'fun' to begin.

/*/

Rae hadn't been expecting to have fun at the podrace. In fact, she was expecting to be a puddle of sweat. She wasn't disappointed, but she still felt a thrill as she watched the race and cheered herself hoarse when Anakin crossed the finish line. "I knew you would do it, Anakin," she said, clapping him on the back. "Jar-Jar, Padme, care to accompany me back to the ship? Qui-Gon can finish up, and we need to let the captain know the parts are coming," she said. Padme smirked.

"Your enthusiasm for returning wouldn't have anything to do with a certain Padawan, would it?" she asked. Rae smirked and used one of her favorite Obi-Wan lines.

"From a certain point of view." Padme blinked.

"You sounded... a lot like Padawan Kenobi just then," she said. Rae grimaced.

"Accent?" she asked, hoping her little verbal quirk hadn't acted up, but knowing it likely had. Padme nodded. "Darn. I was hoping that wouldn't happen. Don't worry about it, it pops up every now and again but it's harmless. Oh! And Ani? Don't worry about your mom. She'll get out too, just not yet," Rae said before striding out of the arena. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Anakin leaning over to Qui-Gon, likely to ask if she was sane. A mad grin spread on her face. Oh, it would be so fun confusing the Force out of the Jedi with her cryptic ways! Then she thought of what came next and fought down a growl. Great. She was headed to Courasant. And Palpatine the Pretender. Joy. ' _Could I explain away my distaste for him as not trusting people who smile too much? Or would he sense my true feelings? Man, this is going to be a_ long _week,_ ' Rae thought as she trudged through the sands of Tatooine. ' _And I_ really _don't like sand. Blasted deserts and their blasted_ sand! _'_

/?/

A/N: A~nd... CUT! So? Review!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:** Onward to Courasant!

Obi-Wan felt the others, minus Qui-Gon, approaching in the Force and wondered, what would Rae have to say about Courasant? Nonetheless, he alerted the captain that Padme, Rae, and Jar-Jar were returning and to be ready with the door. He himself went down to the receiving bay to meet them. As the door went down, he smiled at the weary group. "Meet any interesting lifeforms out there?" he asked. Rae gave him a death glare that was much more efficient than her first attempt at one. He blamed the sweaty hair and thin sunburn between where her mask and her goggles had been.

"Your Master is a sadist, making me sit out in the _twin suns_ to watch a _podrace_ I could have _told him_ the outcome of. There had better be some aloe vera in this tin can or I am going to be one very grouchy lady with lobster skin!" she growled. Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow, but lead her to the med bay to get her sunburn treated. She looked at the bacta as if it were the strangest thing ever.

"It's bacta, and very effective," Obi-Wan said. Rae frowned, then looked at him and asked,

"Is it like kolto, from Mannan?" He blinked, wondering where she'd heard of that.

"Well... sort of. Where did you learn of that? Everything else you say seems to be of the future, not the past," he said. She smiled.

"A video game, Knights of the Old Republic. I played as Revan... though generally, I made my character a female whereas I'm told that Cannon!Revan was a male. Mission Vao was fun to hang out with. And there is no better friend than a Wookie. Oh! And I know how to take out a rancor if you have warning and a good place to hide," she said. Obi-Wan could only smile and shake his head.

"You'll have to tell me about this game later, Rae. Here, let me help you with that," he said, taking the bacta cream from her and smearing it over her burnt skin. He felt her shiver under his hands and fought down the strange feeling in his chest.

"Maybe, maybe not. A game cannot tell you the past, Obi-Wan, for each choice you make, each fight you fight, is different and shapes the path you walk," she said. Obi-Wan chuckled, ignoring Padme who was watching from the side.

"How did you like your time on Tatooine?" he asked. Rae made a harumph sound and glared at him.

"It is a boring dust bowl and a festering den of amorality that should suffer a revolution and struggle through a reconstruction. If I had the ability, I'd start said revolution! Slavery is a disgusting curse upon all sentient life," she said heatedly. Obi-Wan shook his head.

"There is no emotion, there is peace.

There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.

There is no passion, there is serenity.

There is no death, there is the Force," he said. Rae snorted.

"There is no hate, there is love.

There is no despair, there is joy.

There is no fear, there is peace.

There is no anger, there is patience.

There is no death, there is Christ," she countered. Obi-Wan shook his head. She really was something else. And her Code was pretty close to the Jedi Code.

"Always doing your own thing, huh?" he said. She shook her head.

"Always by the book," she countered.

"Do you know..." Obi-Wan began, planning to ask if she realized she was impertinent.

"Beware the smiling politician, for he will twist your words to suit his own ends," Rae said swiftly, cutting him off with a rather serious look.

"Don't change the subject! And who is the smiling politician?" Obi-Wan barked, though he quickly shunted his irritation into the Force and regarded her with genuine curiosity.

"The Puppet Master."

"Clear as Yoda-speak," the Padawan dead-panned.

"Keep the Racer away from the Dark, Obi-Wan. Be a friend first, Master second," Rae told him with all the solemn wisdom of a sage, though Padme could have sworn there was a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

"... Must you speak like this?" Rae smiled faintly.

"I can't just tell you the future, Obi. You still need to figure things out yourself. What I can do, however, is give you hints and subtlety prepare you for what is to come." He shook his head.

"What is so terrible that you know?" he asked. She moved away and looked deep into his eyes.

"I'd prefer to say it once, Obi-Wan. So please, wait until Courasant. I will tell the Council what they need, nothing more. There are some things that need to happen, I know there are. Besides, there are also things I have no clue how to go about changing or fixing or... whatever. So please, don't push. I'll tell you what I feel you need to hear, and nothing more," she said before getting up. "Oh and... yeah, I'm having way too much fun messing with you," she tossed over her should as she left the med bay. Obi-Wan shook his head and returned to his chamber for some more meditation.

/*/

Anakin was amazed. He was _free?_ The Jedi had freed him? But what about his mom? Then Rae's words came back to him and he was glad of the assurance they gave him. Once they were in the desert though, he felt something else. Something terrifying. Something _dark_. And it was coming closer. "Master Qui-Gon!" he called out, just before Qui-Gon told him to get down. A speeder bike flew over him, just missing his head. A red and black alien with horns instead of hair sat atop it, dressed all in black.

"Get to the ship! Tell them to take off!" Qui-Gon ordered, holding off the creature. Anakin wished he had the power to fight beside Qui-Gon, but he knew he didn't, and he couldn't do anything to help where he was. So he ran for the ship. The door was open and as soon as he was inside, it took off.

"What?" he asked. A light laugh sounded behind him and he turned to see Rae standing in the doorway to the rest of the ship.

"I told you kid, I know things. Now come on, Qui-Gon will need room for his landing," Rae said, drawing him away from the loading ramp. Soon, Qui-Gon jumped in the door and Rae shut it behind him quickly. "Well now... did we have fun playing around in the sand, Master Jinn? Are you done with the blinding sun and abrasive sand? Because there is no way in the 'Verse you're gonna get me to do this again!" she said, starting out in a sickly sweet voice and slowly letting darkness into her tone. Qui-Gon sighed.

"Yes, as far as I know, I am done with desert planets. And no, I did not have fun 'playing around in the sand' as you put it," he said.

"Was Rae attempting to be funny again?" a smooth, almost classy voice said from behind.

"OBI! You wound me, sir!" Rae cried dramatically. The new comer, Obi, smirked at the young woman.

"I do not. You're simply over reacting. Master, what was that?"

"I don't..."

"His name is Darth Maul, and his appearance marks the beginning of the 'fun' I spoke of before, Obi-Wan. It means the Dark is finally starting to move. You must all be on your toes, my friends," Rae interjected, her face grave. Anakin shivered. This wasn't what he had expected. This was scarier than when Watto got mad.

/*/

Some time later, Rae smiled as she watched Anakin with the droids. "You have magic hands, Anakin," she said as she leaned against the door. The little boy jerked, then turned to her with a slightly guilty look. She chuckled. "No need to look like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Anakin. I know just how unsettling it is to travel alone." She paused, memories of her family coming to the forefront of her mind. "I too have left loved ones behind. True, I had more than you, but that doesn't make the pain any different, does it?" Anakin looked up at her.

"What happened?" he asked. She sighed and sank down to sit on the cold flooring of the ship.

"I was... whisked away by the stars. I left my mother, my father, my brother, who's about three years older than you, my sister, who's five years older than me, both grandmothers, my grandfather, three aunts and their husbands, and some cousins I don't really know along with two that I used to spend several cold winter days with. Saul and Edward, the two cousins I know the best, live in a northern State where it hardly ever gets hot. When winter comes, you can get snow about this deep," Rae said, holding her hands roughly three feet apart. "We'd have snow wars and tell scary stories when it got dark out. It was fun, those Christmases. Grandpa Mayar headed a Church up there. I have fond memories of that old congregational Church. It has a new pastor, new elevator to replace the old, slow, stair-chair, and I haven't been inside in years, but I still remember how it used to be." She sighed and looked at the little boy, Anakin Skywalker, who sat beside her. He was listening with rapt attention. She smiled, though her heart wasn't fully in it. "So you see, I know what it feels like to lose family. I will likely never see my family again, Anakin. But at least, we have a chance to build a new family. Remember, Skywalker, family isn't always who shares your blood, but who you choose. Sometimes, love is thicker than blood," Rae said, ruffling his hair. He squawked and tried to fix his hair, but Rae just smiled. "Feel a bit better now, Hotshot?" she asked. He smiled shyly up at her, and nodded.

"Thank you for sharing. You didn't have to," he said. She smiled at him.

"Hey, I told you I have a little brother, right? He's a bit like you, though I doubt he could build a fully operational droid, even at twelve. So when I saw you fiddling about, I saw a little boy who was alone, scared, and far from home. I want to help you, Anakin. I'd like to be a friend to you, maybe even a big sister. And Obi-Wan's a nice guy too. Give him a chance, let him in, and he might just surprise you," she said. He smiled again, though there seemed to be a slightly coy edge to it now.

"So he'd be my big brother to your big sister?" he asked. She gave him a Look.

"What are you implying, Hotshot?" she asked.

"You like him, don't you?" he goaded. Rae kept up The Look, then sighed, a smile creeping onto her face.

"He's cute, and sweet, even if he is a straight laced by-the-book kind of guy. I'm hoping that, between the two of us, we can get him to loosen up," she said, giving the boy a wink. He smiled. "You're pretty cute yourself, Hotshot. So, what'cha working on?" Rae asked, drawing Anakin's attention back to the droid in front of him. Rae had to fight to keep thoughts of his future from the forefront of her mind. It wouldn't be fair to keep comparing him to Vader, even if he did come back before the end. And besides, what she had told Obi-Wan had been at least mostly true. Anakin needed a friend, a confidant. That was why he had turned to Palpatine. She was determined that the bright little boy in front of her would never have to visit that slime ball for some relief from the stuffy Jedi Order. She would do her best to help Anakin through the trials ahead. But what could she do? She wasn't really a fighter, she hadn't actively practiced her close combat skills recently, and she knew next to nothing about the tech in this universe, which ruled out ships or guns. Sure she could listen and joke and generally just be there, but Jedi were active, for all their meditation and peaceful teachings. They were warriors, and she wasn't. Anakin chattered at her about what he was doing and Rae just sat and listened, deciding to take things as they came. She passed him tools and parts and actually found herself learning quite a bit about droids from the young boy. That was how Obi-Wan found the pair, chatting and laughing with Anakin correcting Rae about where to put certain parts.

"Well aren't you two having fun," he said. Rae turned to him with a girly chuckle, because it _wasn't_ a giggle.

"Anakin's teaching me about mechanics, Obi. Care to join us?" she said, part of her hoping he'd say yes and sit down with them. Instead, he shook his head, dorky little Padawan braid swinging about and nearly hitting him in the face.

"I'm sorry, but no. My master was wondering if you would join us in our cabin. He wants to talk to you about something," he said. Rae sighed but got up to follow.

"Sorry Hotshot, I have to go. But if you need me, don't hesitate to come find me, ok?" she said. Anakin smiled and nodded, turning back to the droid he had been working on previously. Rae smiled at him, then turned and exited with Obi-Wan. "So, what does His Tallness want to talk to me about? Surely he knows better than I," she asked. Obi-Wan shook his head.

"He didn't tell me." Rae huffed. Silly Jedi and their cryptic ways! She grinned. Well, she'd just have to keep on being cryptic back! When they arrived at the Jedis' cabin, Qui-Gon quickly brought her inside and set her down.

"We are nearing the Capital of the Republic and I need to know... what are your feelings about the planet?" Rae stared at the man. There were so many things she could say about that sprawling metropolis. What _should_ she say?

"It sounds like 'croissant.' I like croissants! So buttery and flaky. Umm! Yummy!" Rae said. She mentally chuckled to herself at the confused look on the Jedi's faces.

"O... kay. But I was hoping for..." Qui-Gon began, but Rae cut him off.

"So many _people!_ And big honking aliens! Hey, why do we say 'honking' when talking about how big something is? Does it honk? Heh heh, honk honk," she said, eyes dancing. Obi-Wan was starting to look a bit dazed. Oh, this was fun! She should do this more often.

"Um... right. What do you..." Qui-Gon tried again.

"People shouldn't smile too much. Makes it hard to trust 'em. And makes it hard to pay attention to 'em. Too busy watching their mouth and trying to figure out if it hurts to smile that much. And so wide! It's like they're trying to catch a fly! Why would you catch a fly in your mouth?" Rae rambled.

"Rae... please stop acting insane," Obi-Wan said, nearly whining. Rae pouted.

"Spoil sport. Okay. You want to know what I really think of the Capital? I can sum it up in a few words. Big. Smelly. Metal. Polluted. Den of politicians. Home of gangs. Means to an end. That's all you're getting out of me on this matter. Anything else or can I go back to my robotics lesson?" she said, losing the goofy smile and glowering at the two jedi in front of her. Obi-Wan shook his head slightly, as though she had derailed his train of thought. She grinned to herself. It was kind of fun doing that... when she knew she was doing it at least. She wondered briefly what her sister would have said, but Qui-Gon called her back.

"Yes. What do you know about me? I have wanted to ask this before, indeed since you first arrived, but have been unable to do so until now," Qui-Gon said. Rae sighed.

"I know your name, I know a bit of your reputation with the council, I know you are Obi-Wan's master, and I know how you die and a vague time frame for your death. Would you have me tell you of your death? And with your Padawan, who looks to you as a father, in the room? I would not do so, Jedi. It is a pain that I would spare you... and him."

"Please... if I know I can prepare," Qui-Gon said. Obi-Wan nodded. Rae sighed.

"I'll tell you, but not now. Not now," she said, then got up and breezed past the pair, hoping they didn't stop her. She couldn't bear to tell them. Not now. And she wasn't sure she'd be able to make it through telling them later either.

/*/

Obi-Wan looked over at his Master, curious as to what he thought of Rae's answers to his questions. The Jedi Master was pensive, but that might have been because of the rather odd statements Rae had made. Still, the last part, where she had been serious, was confusing enough without the random babble before hand. Rae really did seem to enjoy being as confusing as possible. "Well Master, she's not wrong," Obi-Wan finally said, leaning back in his berth. Qui-Gon looked up in confusion. "Courasant does sound like 'croissant,' it is big, smelly, polluted, made of metal, home to many dangerous gangs and cartels, and it's a den of politicians. What's confusing me about that is, what did she mean by 'a means to an end?'" he clarified. Qui-Gon sighed.

"Perhaps she means just that. Coursant is the capital, the center of the Republic. You can get just about anywhere from there. You can also find a lot of things there. Shops, jobs, careers, ships, Jedi. But what it means to _her..._ I'm not sure." Obi-Wan sighed and flopped down on his berth.

"Well, I sure hope you're happy with what she gave you, because unless you want to be a bit more forceful, it's all you're going to get," he said, then rolled over and slept. Qui-Gon sighed but followed his padawan's example. It really had been a long week.

/*/

Padme was the next person to come talk to Rae, but she wasn't really there looking for information. She just wanted to talk, though considering she didn't know much about the mysterious stranger, there was really only one way she could think to start a conversation. "You know things, right?" Padme asked the strange girl. Rae smiled up at her.

"Yeah, the stars told me a lot, but I've forgotten more than I remember," she said. With her eyes closed, she couldn't see the rueful shaking of the young queen's head.

"Rae... what do you know about me?" Padme asked. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that the girl groaned and threw her head back, gently knocking it against the metal of the wall.

"Why does everybody ask that?" she asked, face twisted into a grimace. Padme giggled, though she stopped when Rae turned her head to glare at her. "Qui-Gon already asked me how he'd die, Padme," she solemnly stated. Padme felt a chill go down her back. "When I saw it, it was emotional, but only because of Obi-Wan's reaction. It held no real meaning for me, because I didn't know the guy, hadn't talked with him, hadn't shared lunch with him, hadn't sat out in the hot sun with him. It was just a movie to me then but now... looking back on it, or forward as the case may be... it hurts, Padme. It really hurts. And when I think about what I know of you... oh merciful heavens!" Rae said, dropping her head into her hands. She could already feel the tears starting up. Visions of Mustafar and the birth of the twins danced in front of her eyes, the pained scream of Darth Vader when the Emperor told him Padme was dead echoed in her ears. Memories of Fanfiction describing the emotional pain Darth Vader lived with, the love that the two of them had shared... all of it pressed against her conscious mind and drowned out the world around her. Padme watched as Rae broke down beside her, tears dripping down her face as she sobbed. It made the queen feel guilty. She had asked about herself, had asked for knowledge she wasn't supposed to have access to, and in doing so had hurt the visitor to her ship.

"I'm sorry Rae. I didn't mean..."

"I know," Rae gasped. She didn't move, and Padme wasn't sure she'd come out of the mental pain she'd been in, but she had responded. "I know you didn't mean to hurt anyone. You're a peaceful queen, a kind Senator. But sometimes... seemingly simple things can lead to huge things. A single stone, when cast into the pond, can create ever cascading waves," she said, ignoring the jerk Padme gave when she confirmed that she knew the other girl was the queen.

"Rae... could you tell me about your hobbies?" Padme asked, hoping that would distract the girl from her painful memories. Rae sat up slowly and smiled wanly at the girl queen.

"Smooth queeny, smooth," she remarked. "My favorite two are reading and writing. My love for both is pretty equal, but if my muse is on strike I have to settle for reading. I like to listen to music and sometimes sing along, but I don't like singing in front of others. I also like to practice martial arts. I had an air pistol back home, kind of like a toy gun, but it didn't always aim well. If I'd had the money, I would have liked to collect swords and armor from around the world, or at least replicas. I also would have liked to take kendo, which is basically sword fighting. Though sometimes, pole arms and staves caught my interest as well. Also, I liked to watch TV. My favorite shows came from Japan, giving me an interest in ninjas," she said, then chuckled sheepishly. "So, what about you?"

"Well. I don't know what Japan and ninjas are, but I can tell you I like to read as well. I also practice hand-to-hand combat with my handmaidens. Captain Panaka likes to know we can handle ourselves if need be. I don't really like weapons, but I'll use a blaster if I have to," Padme responded. Rae chuckled.

"Yeah. Feels like I had more to say. So, would you like to spar with me? The last spar I had was against Obi-Wan, and he has an unfair advantage," she said. Padme gave her a sly smile.

"He's cute?" she asked. Rae blushed.

"No denying that, but I was thinking more along the lines of he's got more experience and muscle," she said. Padme laughed.

"Okay, not going to deny that either. Sure, I'll spar with you," she said. It was the start of a beautiful friendship between the two young women, one that would change the fate of the galaxy.

/*/

Jar-Jar also forged a friendship with Rae. After their talk outside Watto's shop, the Gungan had decided to find out more about the young woman. What he found was as comforting as it was puzzling. She was kind, smart, and fun in her own way. But under all the warmth and safety she projected, she was cold and foreboding. She wasn't a soldier or a warrior, but she was a fighter. He had seen her practicing with the handmaidens. All of them could handle themselves against a common thug, though their skills would be worthless against droids. So, he ambled in and went to the closet where the blasters were kept. Happily, he found a few staves there as well. Grinning his froggy grin, he handed them out. "I thought you had no training. And that you were banished. And clumsy. Yet here you are, handing out staves like you know what you're doing. I want an explanation, Mr. Binks," Rae said, voice calm and even. Jar-Jar felt a shiver go down his back. She wasn't dangerous, but she had the voice down. The same voice many of the generals back in Oto-Gunga had.

"Mesa clumsy, yes. But mesa still Gungan!" Jar-Jar defended. Rae quirked an eyebrow.

"What kind of accidents did you cause to be banished, and how long ago?" she asked. Jar-Jar smiled sheepishly.

"Seven months. Mesa knocks over two or three Generals."

"Uh-huh. And were they mouthing off? Insulting someone?" Rae asked, trying to figure out what happened.

"Maybe."

"That alone shouldn't be enough..."

"Huge goober fish." Rae blinked.

"... Did you tick off one of the other inhabitants of the swamp?" she asked. Jar-Jar bowed his head and Rae laughed. "So you're not _entirely_ clumsy when you move, you're clumsy with your words," she said. Padme looked at her like she was mad. "Hey, I'm not saying he isn't a trouble magnet, I'm just saying that maybe he's not as roughshod as we think. He survived seven mouths outside the city, and no-one knew about him. No-one from the human city found out about the Gungans until Jar-Jar crashed into Qui-Gon. That takes a bit of skill no? So," she tossed her staff from her left hand to her right and tapped it firmly on the floor, "I'm willing to see what he has to show me. What about you?" Padme shook her head, but stepped up as well. And that was how Jar-Jar found himself teaching a group of young women how to use staves. Gungan style.

/?/

A/N: I had to, alright? Jar-Jar _has_ to have _some_ redeeming quality to him. So what if I make him wildly OOC? I only remember him in Episode One and one scene of Episode Two. I blocked Two and Three almost completely, so things are going to be different. And yes. I really, _really,_ had to.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Except the OC.

 **Chapter 4:** I Hate Politicians

The trip to Courasant was quicker than Rae thought it would be, and she was glad to get off the ship. Now she could actually get away and be alone! She could disappear here. Then the door of the ship lowered and she saw the welcoming committee. The dark one she figured was Vallourum but the other one... "Palpatine," she hissed, eyes narrowing. She sighed and made her way down the ramp, hoping that by staying in the back, she would escape notice. No luck. He was looking right at her. Crud.

"And who is this?" the smiling Sith, and wasn't that a thought to turn one's stomach, asked. She fought down a sneer.

"I am no-one, sir, merely a young woman trying to find her way in the world," she said, hoping he wouldn't sense her hate for him through the Force. His oily smile grew and she felt her jaw tighten.

"You don't seem to like me," he stated. She quirked an eyebrow.

"What gave me away?" Rae drawled, trying to be nonchalant. For some reason, she had a feeling she didn't pull it off as well as she would have liked

"A mark of a good politician is to always know when someone is hiding something," Palpatine said. Rae chuckled darkly, her eyes narrowing once more.

"And thus, you have come upon the very reason why I do not like you. I hate politicians, sir. Especially when they _smile_. Forgive me, but I never can seem to trust someone when they never. Stop. Smiling. Have a nice day, sir," she said, striding forward. Unfortunately for her, Palpatine matched her speed.

"My name is Palpatine. Senator Palpatine. And you are?"

"Not interested, _Senator_." Palpatine chuckled.

"Come now, I'm only making conversation." Rae stopped suddenly and turned to him, giving him her best glare.

"Why me, Senator? There is a Queen, two Jedi, and a contingent of Royal Guards in this entourage, so why talk to _me_ , Senator? I am just a girl, lost in the big wide world, and you are a political figure with more important things to do than talk with me. Are you using me? Am I to be some sort of political stunt? I can just see the headlines now! 'Senator for Naboo befriends young girl of unknown origins. Vote for Palpatine, the People's Man!' Well I'm sorry, Senator, but I will not be a PR pony. Good day!" she said before walking as quickly as she could to Obi-Wan. "I _really_ hate politicians. Especially when they _smile_ ," she whimpered as she clung to him. He looked down and quirked an eyebrow. "Save me?" she asked in a small voice. She heard Qui-Gon snickering ahead of them but paid him no mind. She _really_ needed some moral support after being confronted by _that_. Obi-Wan shook his head but put an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into the comfort. ' _Ummm~! He smells like mint and sandalwood.'_

/*/

Obi-Wan had watched the confrontation between Rae and Senator Palpatine with interest. Rae handled herself quite well against the Senator, Obi-Wan thought. But then, the Senator got _clingy_ and the young man had to remind himself that a Jedi was not supposed to get involved in such conflicts. When she came to him and grabbed his arm, he felt a tight, warm feeling in his chest and forced himself not to flash a triumphant grin at the Senator who was _way_ too old for Rae. Then she had looked up at him and asked for him to save her. His chest filled with that unfamiliar emotion again as he tightened his hold on her just a little. He could hear Qui-Gon chuckling up ahead, could feel his Master's amusement through the Force, but found he couldn't care less. Rae needed him, needed support, protection. And Force take him if Obi-Wan didn't provide that for her. He could feel her Force presence relax as she walked with him, could feel her take a deep breath and cast off the shadow that had come over her after her talk with the Senator. And considering that, as well as her referencing the _smiling_ thrice, made him doubt the Senator's motives. She had told him to 'beware the Smiling Politician.' Perhaps Palpatine was this Smiling Politician? It would fit. He did smile an abnormal amount. "So, where are you going to stay while we are here, Rae?" he asked. Rae scrunched her nose and Padme jumped in on the conversation, though she was back in her royal dress.

"She can stay with my handmaidens," she said. Rae looked at her in surprise.

"Are you sure, your Highness? I would not want to intrude. And I feel I don't quite fit in with your Handmaidens," she said. Padme smiled faintly at the young woman.

"Yes, I am sure. You have given us assistance and lightened our hearts with your presence. I would not have you cut off from those you recognize. Courasant can be a rough place for one unaccustomed to it," the Queen said. Rae bowed to the girl Queen.

"I accept your good will, your Highness. When you put it that way, I feel it would be rude to decline," she said. Padme gave her a small nod before moving away toward the Senate building. Rae looked over at Obi-Wan and said, "Remember, Obi-Wan, Anakin needs a friend more than a master. He has been a slave all his life, has called everyone but his mother 'master,' and has had to follow orders or risk being blown up. After this whole thing is over, he can help you just as you _must_ help him. I won't be there, in the Temple, for him to go to, so you must be there for him. Do you understand?" she said, worry plain in her eyes. Obi-Wan smiled and nodded. Rae was something else, that was for sure.

/*/

Rae was glad that Padme had extended an offer of lodging to her, but Obi-Wan was trying to lead her to the Jedi Temple. She gave him a pleading look. "I can't justify going to the Temple just yet. I have even _less_ of a reason to go, seeing as I'm not even Force-sensitive. Please, just let me stay with Padme and Anakin until the Council decides they want to hear my story, alright?" she asked. Obi-Wan sighed, but let her go. She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you, my Shining Knight," she said before following after Anakin and Padme.

"Rae. I am pleased that you accepted my offer. I have heard that you make accurate predictions. Tell me, is there any hope that the Senate will give my people the help they need?" the Queen asked. Rae sighed. Why was everyone asking her for information _now_?

"Your Majesty, I make no accurate predictions, I tell what I know. And what I know is more limited than many would think. However, I will tell you this," Rae stopped and looked at the royal company with the utmost sincerity. "I do not trust politicians, especially when they _smile_. As I told Obi-Wan; beware the Smiling Politician." The Queen sighed.

"And who is the Smiling Politician?" she asked. Rae frowned at her.

"You honestly didn't notice? Did you not see? Did you not hear?" she asked. The Queen seemed to grow pale under her make-up. "Ah. _Now_ you get it... or are beginning to. So, when _he_ proposes you call for a vote of no confidence, give him a non-committal answer and seek out Vallorum. Speak with him before you make a decision, for once the Smiling Politician gains a foothold... he won't let go without great pain and sacrifice on the part of those who want him gone." A shiver went through the delegation at her words. A shiver of fear.

"If what you say is true, and it is a serious allegation make no mistake, then I will take your advice into consideration," the Queen said. Rae could only smile.

"Hey, you're the political figure, not me. To be honest, you're about the only politician I _don't_ hate. That you'd listen to a nobody like me is more than I can ask for, your Majesty. I can only hope that our actions now can save our future," she said. The Queen, or whoever was wearing the mantle of Queen of Naboo, smiled slightly at the misplaced young woman.

"You do not give yourself enough credit, Miss Mayar. You have a way with words." Rae gave her a slightly sardonic smile of her own.

"Trust me, your majesty, in a few years, you won't be saying that." The Queen gave her a mildly quizzical look, but Rae refused to expound on her comment. The future was a mystery for a reason after all. Who was she to ruin the surprise? And really, who could say she had a way with words when they knew Obi-Wan Kenobi? He made words into weapons that could bring entire planets to their knees. A true master in the art of Talking Down the Idiots.

/*/

While Rae was walking off with the Queen of Naboo and her company, Qui-Gon was chuckling at the suppressed love-struck look on his Padawan's light pink face. "Not a word, Master. Not a word," Obi-Wan said, a faint growl underscoring his words. Qui-Gon gave him a mock hurt look.

"But Obi-Wan, I haven't said anything!" the master protested, hoping he was keeping his amusement out of their training bond. Obi-Wan gave him a Look, though it was a little less effective than usual due to the faint blush he was wearing, which told the master otherwise.

"You were preparing. I like to cover my bases, Master," he said levelly, though in such a deathly calm manner that Qui-Gon decided against teasing his Padawan further. Obi-Wan, though he didn't know it, was already developing his to-be-famous Negotiator/General voice that could make Anakin obey... at times. Qui-Gon shook his head, but let it go.

"Budding romance with the cute, mysterious, and surprisingly knowing Rae aside, are you ready to make your report to the Council?" the Jedi Master asked. Obi-Wan groaned, drawing another laugh from his Master.

"What are we going to tell them about all this? It's a mess, Master. An honest to Force mess that I have no idea how we're going to get out of," he said. Qui-Gon hummed, stroking his beard. His Padawan had a point. There was no clear way out of this mess, for a mess it was. He sighed and shook his head.

"We must not dwell on this now, Obi-Wan. Let us focus on the here and now, dealing with what is before us," he said. Obi-Wan did not seem appeased, but he didn't argue. Obi-Wan rarely argued about anything anymore. Qui-Gon remembered when Obi-Wan was a child. He had fought quite a bit back then, but over the years, Obi-Wan became a passive man. No longer did he argue his point, now he bowed to the wishes of others. However, with the sudden appearance of Rae, Qui-Gon was seeing flashes of a much more self-confident Obi-Wan. An Obi-Wan who could inspire loyalty in those around him and who always made his point known. The Master thought about the changes Rae was bringing to his Padawan and mentally smirked. Yes, Rae was a fine influence on his Padawan and he was looking forward to seeing that change completed. He could feel the Force telling him that Obi-Wan would become one of the greatest Jedi Masters of all time, respected and revered by much of the Galaxy. But for now, he was a Padawan. A brilliant one, yes, but merely a Padawan. And both Master and Padawan had a meeting with the Jedi Council to get too.

/*/

Rae was surprised when the Queen requested she stay with her rather than the handmaidens as previously stated. "Your Majesty, why ask for me?" she asked. The Queen gave a genuine smile before turning to remove her make-up. Shocked by this move, Rae simply stared.

"I asked because you are one of the few outside my handmaidens who recognizes me as a person, a human being, under the guise of the Queen of Naboo. I would be honored to call you a friend, Rae," Padme said, turning back to the still rather shell-shocked Rae.

"Well. That's a bit of a surprise. I've told you before, I generally dislike politicians with great zeal. And yet, here we are, a Queen with immense political power and skill and a misplaced broadcasting student with an intense dislike of politics, trying to be friends. The world truly is a mysterious place, is it not?" Rae finally managed to get out. Padme chuckled.

"Yes... but for now, I am not a Queen. I am just Padme, a young girl who was in need of advice and got it from a kind, reliable source," she said. Rae smiled.

"Ah, and there is the loophole. You can distance yourself from politics and live as a normal human whereas the Smiling Politician is always maneuvering, always manipulating, always trying to get his way. I know a fair bit about you, Padme Amidala of the Naboo. I have a feeling we will get along just fine," she said. Padme smiled a little shyly at the older woman.

"Even if I'm a politician?" she asked. Rae chuckled and sat down on the couch in a rather undignified manner.

"Padme, I've told you before. You're one of the very few politicians I can stand... but you're the only one I'd call a friend." Padme smiled and Rae couldn't fault Anakin for falling for her, even if their love seemed a bit o'er hasty. She was a sweet girl. Thoughts of what her fate could be invaded Rae's mind and she fought down her emotions. She was going to change all that.

/*/

A few minutes later, Captain Pankana came in and announced that Senator Palpatine was on his way. Rae bit down a growl, but couldn't stop her eyes narrowing. Padme noticed, even as she reapplied her make-up, and jerked her head toward a closet. Rae gave her a half grin and dashed into the small space. Palpatine entered and glanced around as if looking for something... or someone.

"Senator Palpatine, how can We help you?" Padme, now fully Queen Amidala, asked of her Senator. He smiled his oily smile and Rae could only wonder how he got to be where he was with such a greasy feel about him.

"It is wonderful to see you have arrived safely, Your Majesty! However, I do not think the Senate will move to give our people the help they need. As you know, Chancellor Vallorum has no _real_ power. You could... call for a No Confidence vote against him. I'm sure you'll be able to appoint a new Chancellor easily, Your Majesty," Palpatine said. Rae did her best to keep her growl limited to inside her head, but she wasn't sure she succeeded.

" _Power grubbing Sith Spawn! Oh, I know it's wrong but I wish someone would just snap your little chicken neck!"_ Rae thought fiercely. She hadn't really liked him in the movies, and once she knew who he was, she didn't like him in the cartoon _The Clone Wars_ either. He was manipulating and slimy and all too good at exploiting everyone's willful blindness... and a child's insecurities. Amidala seemed to think it over, and Rae was not the only one to notice the gleam in Palpatine's eyes when he thought he had her.

"We need time to consider this, Senator. Leave Us, that We might have peace to think," the Queen said coolly. Rae grinned a rather wolfish grin, though she didn't know it was _quite_ so wolfish, as the Senator left, pouting like a scheming child denied a sweet. She waited until she heard the door hiss closed and then waited until the count of five before she exited the closet.

"Vallorum?" she asked pointedly. Amidala nodded, face grimmer than ever.

"Yes. It pains me but... you were right. I can no longer trust Palpatine," she said. Rae smiled kindly at her.

"Yeah, he's a slimy snake with his fangs in the door. However, you may need to keep him there, to keep an eye on him." Rae paused, thinking this over. "Yes. He needs to think he has some sort of power over events. Who do you know that would listen to me if I spoke to them on your behalf?" she asked. Amidala gave her a confused look and one of the handmaidens – Sabe? – came forward.

"What are you planning?" she asked. Rae grinned.

"We make Palpy _think_ he has the Queen's ear, and go ahead with the vote, but we let the other Senators in on the plot. Some might lose faith in Naboo for calling for and then losing the vote, but those that know would likely trust Amidala more afterward. I would tell them to subtly watch Palpatine's reaction to the vote, and when they see the carefully hidden greed and then anger in his face... well. It will be up to them, but if it were me, I'd feel grateful to the one who discovered it and trust such a shrewd mind. And then I'd help them undermine the snake while giving him enough power to keep him _exactly_ where I want him. What do you think?" she said. Amidala nodded, then picked up a datapad and entered a message along with a list.

"Show this to the Senators on the list as well as the Supreme Chancellor. Make whatever extra remarks you feel necessary. I trust no-one else with this task, Rae Donna Mayar. I pray you do not fail," the Queen said. Rae bowed as she left.

/*/

As she walked down the corridors, Rae caught herself gazing at the datapad in mild shock. Amidala had taken her at her word. The _Queen_ had taken her at her word. _Her_! A normal girl who knew next to nothing about politics and didn't want to know anything about them because she disliked them with a passion. And now she was on a diplomatic mission in the viper's den! She took a deep breath and made her way to Bail Organa's quarters. She presented the 'pad to the man and said, "I know it seems a little far fetched, but watch and you'll see. Besides, anyone who smiles that much, even when their planet's in a bind, can't be trusted." Bail looked over Amidala's message, considering both her words and those of the girl who had delivered the message. They made sense, but it was a bit hard to swallow. Still, he thought as he looked back to the fidgeting messenger, why would Amidala move against her own Senator without proof?

"I'll watch Palatine's reaction, and if you're right, I'll vote against him," he said, handing the datapad back. Rae very nearly gaped at him. Composing herself, she grinned and bobbed a short bow before leaving.

"Thank you for your support, Sir!" she called before the door shut behind her. She had just secured her first political ally, besides Padme. Shaky from her first encounter but a little invigorated, she made her way to the next person on the list, nerves still coursing through her and making her hands shake.

/*/

Three hours, twenty Senators, and a mildly cranky Chancellor later, the stage was set for Operation: Cage Snake. Rae could only smile shakily at Padme and say, "Mission Accomplished," when she returned to the Queen's rooms and when Obi-Wan came, she couldn't even smile at him. She just followed him mechanically to the speeder and fell into her seat. "I _really_ hate politics," she moaned before she passed out, the stress and fear and shock and joy of the last three hours too much for her to handle. Anakin asked Obi-Wan if she was going to be alright and the Padawan could only smile at the boy, though there was a little bit of bitterness in the action.

"She's just a little worn out, Anakin. I'm sure she'll be fine," he said, smoothing her hair away from her face. He laid her head in his lap and held her tight as they made their way to the Temple. He hoped she would be strong enough for the Council. She had only been in the Senate building for three and a half hours and yet, she acted like she had been in battle. And the Council was worse than just being in a building full of politicians.

/*/

Anakin was glad that, at least for this once, Rae was going to the Council with him. Of course, Obi-Wan was there too, and the young man wasn't _too_ bad, but Rae was the one he felt he could relate to. She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, smiling when he looked up at her. "It won't be too bad, Hotshot," she said, and Anakin hoped she was right about that. The doors whooshed open and Anakin entered with Rae and Obi-Wan at his back. Qui-Gon was already there. "Ah. You must be the young woman Master Qui-Gon mentioned," a dark skinned man said, though his eyes were cautious and seemed to look deep into the younger woman. Rae stood straight under his scrutiny and Anakin couldn't help but be impressed.

"I am Rae Donna Mayar, Master Windu, and I will only say what I have to say once. My story is not one I'd like to repeat numerous times," she said. The Masters were a little surprised that Rae knew who the dark man, Windu, was. Anakin smirked to himself, as did Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Rae had that affect on a lot of people.

"Very well, Miss Mayar. Please, tell us your story," another Master, an alien, asked. Rae nodded, though Anakin could somehow tell that she didn't really want to do this. He took her hand and smiled at her when she looked down. Nodding again, Rae began her story.

"I was in my family's home in Notasulga, in the State of Alabama, on the planet Earth, in the Milky Way Galaxy, and walking into my kitchen for a glass of water, and then the next moment I was in front of Master Qui-Gon Jinn and Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. I'll admit, I broke down into hysterics. My mother, my father, my brother, my sister, my brother-in-law, my grandma, my grandpa, Grammy, my cousins, my cats, my dog... I wasn't going to see them ever again. And I was in the middle of the Naboo Crisis. And I had just thought that Obi-Wan was a cutie. There was only one explanation for it all. I am now in a fanfiction. I am in a self-insert fanfiction with Mary Sue tendencies. And Obi-Wan is the one the writer choose as my love interest. I know how most of you are going to die. I know how this Crisis is likely to end. However, most of my knowledge begins ten years from now and covers three years before skipping about nineteen years, and the three years are a bit sketchy. From there, I'm not sure how long it would take for the future I saw to play out. If I tell you something, something that has yet to happen, chances are, it will happen. At least for the three years after the first ten-year gap. After that... I hope to make a future that is a little bit brighter than the one I have seen. Do not ask me for information on your deaths, or what the approaching Darkness is. I will not tell you. Surely you know, it does not do to borrow trouble from tomorrow," she said. Anakin knew part of her story before, but hearing it now just made him think she was a very strong person. She had lost so much, coming here, and she knew so much about the future, even if it was spotty. Surely, it must hurt to carry that knowledge and know that she was going to get to know the people she had previously seen die. He took her hand, trying to will his gratitude at her being there to her, to set her at ease, and she smiled at him, though her eyes seemed clouded.

"Thank you for smiling, Rae. Thank you for helping me to not feel so alone. I'm glad you're here, even though I wish you didn't have to lose your family to do it," he said softly. She chuckled, though Anakin could hear tears in the sound. She knelt down to be on his level.

"Anakin... you are such a sweet child. Truly, you are. Thank you for trying to help me, Hotshot. I'll be alright, and if you need anything, you come find me, alright? Even if I have to sneak into the temple, I'll do what I can to help," she said. Anakin tilted his head quizzically.

"Why would you need to sneak into the temple?" he asked. Rae shook her head.

"Sometimes, people just have to do crazy stuff, ya know? Hey, I might just kidnap you and take you out flying, or enter you in a swoop race, or just take you to my place for pizza and a movie. Ya never know," she said. The Jedi Masters looked a little worried, but they were too good at ignoring and releasing their emotions to _actually_ be full out worried. Rae smirked, then winked at Anakin, and left. "You'll do fine... Chosen One," she tossed back over her shoulder before she was completely gone. Anakin took a deep breath and faced the Council, feeling alone and yet, not. Whatever they decided, he'd still have Rae, and maybe Obi-Wan. He lifted his chin, squared his shoulders, and faced the Council's tests bravely.

/?/

A/N: and there we have the ball rolling! What do you think of the political side? And Rae's position on politics and politicians? Let me know!

Also, sorry RandomCorpse, but I'm not killing Jar-Jar... probably. I'm afraid you'll just have to make do with the violent fantasies Rae holds in her heart for Palpatine. Until next time!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I only own the Self-Insert/Mary Sue. All else belongs to their respective owners. That is all.

 **Chapter 5:** The Naboo

Qui-Gon wouldn't admit it, but he was a bit nervous. A nine year old slave as the Chosen One. Even if Rae confirmed it, it wouldn't make it any easier for the Council to accept. In fact, it might make it harder, considering what she saw came about after the boy was trained. He sighed as she left the Council chambers, but then she stopped and looked straight at him. "Noble Walkers of the Sky make great Knights, Qui-Gon. Hotshot will be fine, mark my words," she said, sitting down on a bench. Qui-Gon quirked an eyebrow. "What? I have no clue how to get out of here on my own and besides, I have a feeling Anakin will need me when he gets out of there." Obi-Wan gave her a slightly wobbly, for him, smile. She turned her green-blue eyes on the unusually emotional Padawan and smiled softly. "He'll need you too, Obi-Wan. Don't sell yourself short big guy. You'll be there for him when I can't, of that I am sure. Now, I don't know about you two, but I just want to daydream. Let me know when the doors open, okie-day?" she said and then closed her eyes and leaned back without waiting for an answer.

/*/

Obi-Wan shook his head, wonder and bemusement floating across the training bond between him and Qui-Gon. _"How does she do that?"_ he asked through the Force. Qui-Gon sent a laugh back.

" _Who can say for sure? However, I know why she does it. It's so she doesn't go mad. You know what she has lost, what she knows. Could you honestly say you would be normal after that?"_ Obi-Wan sighed.

" _No, Master. I don't think I could,_ " he answered. Qui-Gon merely sent a mental huff back along the bond and settled in to wait. Soon enough, Anakin came out in a daze.

"They said I was too old to train, Master," he said. Rae scoffed.

"You have no master, Hotshot. Even when they accept you for training, which I am sure they will, eventually, you will have no master. A friend, a big brother, yes, but not a _master_ ," she said evenly, though there was a sort of fire in her voice, barely held in check. The three males in the hall with her looked at her in surprise. "Hey, a freed slave is a freed slave. Why give him a master when you just got him away from one? It would eventually seem like he simply traded one kind of slavery for another. Give him a chance to truly be free before you being giving him orders, alright? Besides, we've got a planet to save, don't we?" she added. Qui-Gon shook his head at her, wondering why she was so eager to enter a battle.

/*/

Back on board the ship, Rae handed Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan a holo-pad. "Don't ask me to repeat this, Jedi. I don't think I could," she said, then vanished into the room Padme had given her.

"Come master, this could be the knowledge you sought on the way to Coursant," Obi-Wan said. Qui-Gon nodded and the two went to their quarters for privacy. Qui-Gon activated the 'pad and a recording started up. Rae flickered into being, her discomfort clear.

"I told you I'd tell you what you wanted to know, and so this is me, telling you how you'll die. Just know this will not be easy to hear... or to tell. I've found both of you to be nice people, and so to bring what I know forward, to tell you... it will hurt." Rae took another deep breath to steady herself. "If things go as I know them, Queen Amidala will call for a vote of no confidence against the Chancellor and the Senator for Naboo, Palpatine, will be voted in. He will push for something to be done on Naboo. There will be a battle, a famous battle, for the peaceful planet that will solidify Amidala as a beloved Queen of Naboo. Many will lose their lives, and one boy will find himself in the star fighter that destroys the droid control ship of the Trade Federation, beginning his reputation as one of the greatest fighter pilots in the galaxy. During that battle, Qui-Gon will lose his life in a duel against the Sith you faced on Tatooine. Obi-Wan will react badly and take up the fight, cutting the Sith in half before holding his master as he breaths his last. It will be a trauma that scars young Obi-Wan deeply, and if we are not careful, will damage the early relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan, who will fulfill his master's dying wish. I will say no more, Jedi. In fact, I may have said too much," Rae said, then stood and switched off the recoding.

"And what did you hope to accomplish with this, Master? Now you've made Rae upset and I know you're not going to survive this battle," Obi-Wan said icily. Qui-Gon let out a long breath.

"I wanted to know if my suspicions were correct. Unfortunately, they were. There is a politician on Courasant that she bares a grudge to, likely Palpatine judging by her tone when she said his name, and I am going to die on Naboo." The Master turned to his Padawan. "I am proud of you, Obi-Wan. You have been a kind and patient apprentice when I have been... less than fair to you. Our early relationship was... poor... but now I truly care for you, my Padawan. I had hoped to have this information before we left for Naboo so that I could be there to see you Knighted, but now that will not be possible. Obi-Wan..." Qui-Gon turned to fully face his apprentice, dropping all shields and baring his heart to the young man. Tears prickled at the corners of Obi-Wan's eyes at the love and pride Qui-Gon allowed himself to feel toward his apprentice, and the terrible pain it caused the older man to know he would leave his Padawan, his _son_ , in such a fashion. "I wanted to know if I survived this conflict or not so that I could say what needed to be said. Obi-Wan, you are more than a mere apprentice to me. You are my son. I am sorry that I may not live to see you knighted, I am sorry that I will likely die in your arms. I am sorry, so sorry, for all of this. And I want you to know, I am proud of you, and I approve of your feelings toward Rae. She knows so much, and has been able to make you smile and laugh more than anyone else. Do not be afraid to feel for her, because she's right. Humans are beings of emotion and we cannot cut ourselves off from that. Now, let us not dwell on this. We still have time to make memories, Obi-Wan, so let us make the most of it, shall we?" Obi-Wan nodded, too overcome with unfamiliar emotions that he finally allowed himself to feel to speak. Qui-Gon smiled and lead his apprentice, his son, to the gym for some lightsaber practice.

/*/

Padme was unusually glad that Rae was going with them to her home planet. She knew the girl was no warrior, not even a guard, but having her at her back made the girl queen feel more secure. Soon, they would meet with the Gungans and plead with them for aid. Padme was hoping the young woman could give her some information on how to sway the Gungan chief, but when asked Rae was stubbornly silent, a knowing gleam in her eyes. "Look alive Queeny! Boss Nass, straight ahead," Rae piped up near her ear, sounding far more cheery than Padme had expected of the civilian woman. Of course, in her borrowed clothes and with a blaster hanging from her left hip the young woman didn't really look like a civilian. Drawing her attention away from the enigmatic young woman who was grinning cheekily at her and back to the negotiation with the Gungan Chief, Padme soon saw that the classical plea for alliance her decoy was giving wouldn't work. It was time for a different approach. She stepped forward, sending a brief glance at Rae, who nodded, still smirking. Padme took a deep breath... and began to beg. She begged for her people, begged for help, begged the Gungan General to rally his troops and fight for Naboo. And it worked. "See? You didn't need me after all," Rae said softly, coming back up to Padme's shoulder, though the older woman was a little taller than the girl Queen.

"Okay. You were right. I had it in me all along. But you were not unneeded, Rae. You gave me moral support." Padme paused and turned to the older woman who was quickly becoming a good friend. "Are you sure I can't convince you to join us at the palace?" Rae shook her head.

"I couldn't bear it, Your Majesty. Not when I _know_ what will happen there. When it is all said and done, I will come to you and the Jedi. And I will comfort, and I will cry, and I will rage. After it is done, yes, I will join you at the palace, but during the fight I am better off in the field. After all," she said, a mischievous twinkle entering her eyes, "it wouldn't do for the defending force to put more holes in the walls than the invaders now would it?" Padme chuckled.

"No, I suppose not," she agreed, though she felt a heavy weight in her chest. Rae hadn't told her what was going to happen, but whatever it was, obviously, it was going to be bad.

"You will win, but at a cost. But do not despair. Things will get better, eventually. Just remember that, Padme. Do not get overconfident, for pride comes before the fall, but do not despair. That is all I can give you now. I'm returning to the Gungans now. Comm me when the fighting is done, okay?" Rae said, quelling Padme's fears and holding up her wrist mounted communications device. Padme could do nothing but nod.

"Okay. Be safe, Rae. I don't think we could stand losing you," she said, clasping the young woman's forearm. Rae gave her a weary smile.

"Too many will die as it is, Padme. Why should I add to it? No. I'll stay safe and come afterward to help you heal," she said. A chill went down Padme's back and then, Rae was gone, lost in the horde of Gungan's marching out to the fields of Naboo. The queen took a deep breath and then returned to her guards, ready to march to war.

/*/

Rae shut her thoughts down, narrowing her focus to the matter at hand. At first, she had wanted to stay in the star cruiser, but not even Anakin was staying behind, which would have made a great deal more sense considering what she'd already told the others about the role he played in the battle and what that later lead to. So, she wouldn't have had anything to distract her from playing the movie over in her head, watching Qui-Gon die over and over. "Yousa no gungan," a random soldier remarked.

"You are quite astute, Master Gungan," Rae remarked drily. "I am, in point of fact, human."

"What are yousa doing here?"

"AH! Rae!" Jar-Jar called, his gangly walk making him look like a drunk.

'Or a master of The Drunken Fist,' Rae's mind whispered, a half forgotten fan theory about Jar-Jar being the _real_ Sith Lord coming to mind.

"Yousa here to fight, Bombad Lady?" he asked. Rae gave him as fierce a smile as she could muster, which at that point in time must have looked more like a grimace of fear, and replied,

"As long as I don't start questioning whether or not these battle droids qualify as sentient life-forms." The gungan who had challenged her previously scoffed.

"And why should that matter?" Rae glared at the gungan.

"Because, my religion has twelve laws that must be followed or you must ask most humble forgiveness for your sin. One of those Commandments is 'Thou Shalt not Kill' or, in plainer speak, 'Do Not Kill.' Back home, hunting was allowed for the animals were under our stewardship and the Lord God had given them to us for food as well as companionship, but the killing of another human was a great crime. In a galaxy as vast and populated as this, I would think that 'Do Not Kill' Commandment would extend to other races and societies than Human. As Droids are not blessed with a soul, and therefore lacking sentience, I would feel no guilt in permanently off-lining them but if they _were_ sentient... then I'd have a bit of a problem and have to sit down somewhere and cry my eyes out begging for forgiveness for my mass killing," she ranted, sending the poor gungan staggering back a couple paces. Jar-Jar chuckled.

"Isa told yousa! Rae isa Bombad Lady!" he said gleefully. Rae rolled her eyes.

"Let us just hope my blaster bolts hit the droids and not you gungans," she remarked drily.

"Ah... isa yousa really that bad of a shot?" Jar-Jar asked. Rae shrugged.

"Dunno. I haven't used a blaster once in my life," she told him.

"She's yousa's Captain, General Binks." Rae blinked.

"Wait... Captain? General? What?"

"Mesa think hesa putting da walkin' disasters together," another gungan theorized. Rae groaned.

"Just my luck," she muttered before stalking off. "I'm finding a nice tree to topple. Back in ten."

/*/

True to her word, Rae found a decent sized tree and began firing her blaster at it, attempting to shot a line across the trunk. At first, her accuracy left something to be desired, but by the end of her self imposed time limit, she felt she could hit the torso of a droid fairly well. Most of her shots were actually hitting the tree anyway. When she got back to the field, the gungans were in formation, waiting for the droid army... which was slowly advancing on them. "Well... drat and botheration," Rae growled, crossing her arms and glaring at the slowly marching droids. Then their voices hit her and she pulled her blaster out, eyes lighting with fire. "Finally, an annoying toy I am actually _encouraged_ to trash!" she snarled with a feral grin. The gungans around her slowly edged away. Even Jar-Jar.

"Mesa no likein' dis," was heard somewhere to the left of the pair, but neither seemed to really care as the shields were raised. Rae began to bounce slightly, grinning in a fairly mad way.

"Come on, Destruct-o-Bots!" she sang, bouncing on her toes, blaster held at the ready, "come to Slagger!" Soon, but soon enough for the young woman's liking, the droids breached the shields and began firing. With a cry of "Allons-y!", the temporally/cosmically displaced woman jumped into the fray, shooting at droids with a wild abandon. She even managed to score a few headshots, though she mostly aimed for the largest targets, which would be the boxy torsos of the attacking B-1 battle droids. The battle dragged on. Rae lost sight of Jar-Jar for a time, though a yelling, flailing gungan hanging off of an energy tank's turret was kind of hard to miss. "Ya know, I can't help but wonder how he manages to find himself in such bizarre situations," the human mused aloud, before promptly turning around and blasting the head off of a droid that had gotten too close for comfort.

"Mayar!" a voice called, a staff flying through the air. Somehow, the woman caught it in her off hand.

"Gee, thanks!" she called, a little put out. How was she supposed to use a staff while wielding a blaster? Sighing, she put the gun away and gripped the staff with both hands. "Alright, fine. FORE!" A new game was invented as four droid heads went flying from her strike and it was called, 'Who can Bat a Bot the Farthest.' A gungan by the name of Ra-Ra; odd name for sure but hey, he was a gungan; held the record distance, but Rae managed to snag the record for most droid heads sent flying with a single swing. She was quite happy with that.

/*/

The droids were deactivated. Rae let out a humph and folded her legs to sit atop a pile of decapitated droids, her slightly singed staff leaning against her right shoulder and a truly thunderous pout on her face. "Rae? Are you there?" Padme's voice said, slightly distorted, from her wrist.

"Sittin' pretty on forty-three," the young woman replied, finding some comfort from the familiar quote.

"R~ight, well, the fighting's done here," Padme said, clearly confused by Rae's 'forty-three' comment. "You have a promise to keep, Ms. Mayar."

"Copy that, Your Majesty. I'll be there as soon as I can. Please, inform Obi-Wan and Anakin that I'm coming to cheer them up. If they say I wouldn't understand... remind them that I have lost everything. Rae out," she said, then cut off the transmission before climbing to her feet. "Now I just need to figure out a way to get to the palace at Theed. Too bad there aren't any taxis around," she muttered. Thankfully, the gungans were headed the same way and gave her a lift.

/*/

Padme found Anakin and Obi-Wan in one of the gardens of the Palace at Theed. "I just got off the comm with Rae. She said she's coming to cheer you up," she told the grieving Jedi. Anakin simply seemed numb. Obi-Wan snorted.

"Cheer me up? How could she do that?" he asked. The young Queen sighed and said,

"She thought you might say something like that. She also told me to remind you that she has lost everything. Remember that, Jedi, and maybe you won't run her off." Obi-Wan looked up, mildly shocked, but the Queen was already stalking away. He thought about her words and realized, she was right. Rae had lost everything she knew, everything she had grown up with. At least Obi-Wan had the Temple and the other Jedi. And Anakin. But what did Rae have? He was still thinking about that when Rae caught up with him later that day. With a picnic basket.

"Come on. Let's get out of here, away from the Palace. Memories have a way of cropping up when in the vicinity of the event," she said softly. Obi-Wan wanted to snap, to pull away, but he remembered Padme's warning and instead allowed himself to be pulled away.

/*/

Rae lead Obi-Wan and Anakin away into the wilder part of Theed, away from the signs of civilization, and spread out a blanket. "Sit," she commanded. The two Force sensitives could not stand against her, and so fell to the ground atop the blanket. Rae opened her basket and set out the sandwiches, knowing they would need the cookies and cocoa after the next stage. "Dig in," she said, giving them a _very_ commanding look. They swallowed and obeyed, finding themselves to be quite hungry. When they were done with the sandwiches, Rae hauled them to their feet and lead them a little ways away from their picnic. She handed Anakin a sturdy branch and pointed him toward one stand of trees while she pushed Obi-Wan toward a lake. "Scream, rant, rage, hit, go through your forms, throw things. I don't care which, just _let it out_. Rage, pain, bitterness... they can fester inside of you, poisoning your mind and relationships. So, let it out! Now, while we are in a mostly controlled environment and away from prying eyes," she instructed, commanded. The boys looked at her in confusion before she grunted, picked up some rocks, and threw them into the lake with a mighty roar. "They're gone! They're all gone! And I will never see them again! Why?! Why was I stolen away?! Why am I here?! WHY?! JUST TELL ME _WHY_ FRAG IT ALL!" she screamed, throwing more rocks as she let her emotions out, tears streaming down her face and her voice growing choked before she stopped throwing and just sank to her knees, crying loudly. Anakin widened his stance and began hacking at the trees with his branch, screaming out his frustrations before he too fell to the ground, hugging his knees as he rocked back and forth, crying. Obi-Wan was a bit shocked, but he could feel the chaotic swirl that had been around Rae since she came into his life settling as she cried herself hoarse. Likewise, Anakin seemed to be calming, and his Force signature felt more at peace than it had since Tatooine after the outburst. So, Obi-Wan tried it as well.

"Why?! Why did Qui-Gon have to die?! Why did he want to cast me aside for Anakin?! Was I not good enough?! I tried! I tried so hard to please him and he never _once_ said 'good job' to me! What good is it being the perfect Padawan if no-one recognizes the effort you put into it?! He had always been so hard on me, always saying he had to purge the darkness from me! Well _guess what?!_ _**I'M NOT XANATOS!**_ " Obi-Wan yelled, picking up Anakin's discarded branch and hacking and slashing, making sure he wasn't anywhere close to Rae or Anakin. "Tell me why it had to be this way! Tell me how I go on after this! Just... _**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRRRRRGGGGG!**_ " he screamed, letting out all of his feelings as he spun and flipped and stabbed and finally Force threw a large stone across the lake. He fell to his knees, screaming and muttering and crying unintelligible nothings of emotion before he finally fell silent, though tears still streamed down his face. And there they sat, three emotionally drained Humans, crying even with closed eyes on the bank of a Nubian lake.

/*/

None of them knew how long they sat there, just letting their emotions run their course. Rae was the first to stand and make her way back to the blanket. She pulled out the cookies and cocoa before calling the boys over. They said nothing as they came and accepted the cups of hot chocolate and cookies that Rae handed them. Finally, she spoke.

"They wouldn't want us to wallow in sorrow or pity. They wouldn't want us to remember only the pain of their loss, the way they left us. They would want us to focus on the good times, not the bad or the sad." Obi-Wan nodded.

"It is the Jedi Way to release attachments," he said tonelessly. Rae nodded.

"Those who love us, and those we love, never truly leave us. They live in our memory, in our hearts, and for many, in our actions. We need to let them go, but we can never forget the ones who leave us, because when they are forgotten is when they truly die," she said. Anakin sniffed.

"Whenever I got scared, mom would always sing to me, so I could go back to sleep," he said softly. Rae smiled.

"My mom loved food, loved to cook. She'd been a bit harried, before I left, so she didn't have a lot of time for that then, but when she did have time... When Mom cooked, you knew you were in for a good meal. And she loved tea, and cocoa, and cookies, and scones. Her chocolate chip cookies were the best cookies I'd ever had. But at Christmas, the Winter Holiday, she'd make Welsh Cookies, which were cooked on a grittle. I regret that I never learned the recipe. And grandma Mayar, up in Michigan, a Northern State, would send Welsh Cookies down for Dad's birthday," she said, a few more tears leaking out of her eyes even as she smiled. Obi-Wan took a deep breath, then said,

"I don't remember my mother, or my father, but Master Qui-Gon... he was a master in the kitchen as well as the Force. Whenever he had time, he'd cook for us in our rooms at the Temple. My favorite dish that he made was called the Jinn Special. I'm not even certain what was in it, but you could smell it cooking from six feet down the corridor." Rae smiled at the fond look in the young man's eyes. He was healing, just a little, but he was healing.

"I wish I had a dad," Anakin said softly. Rae smiled at him sadly.

"My dad would wake me up with cold coins, or off the wall comments, delivered in perfect deadpan of course. One time, he put a cold can of Coke-a-Cola under the covers with me and laughed as I tried to wiggle away from it. And then there was the bag of frozen peas! Sometimes, he'd come in and tell me it had snowed. I rarely believed that, seeing as where we lived it only snowed during the harshest of winters. He loved to mess with me. He'd tell me I had cauliflower in my ear, or something like that. Dad also liked to mess with my feet and listen to me squeak," she said, putting an arm around the boy and drawing him close. Obi-Wan smiled wanly.

"I almost wish I had known the love of a mother, like you two," he confessed. Rae smiled.

"I could mother hen you, if you'd like, Obi _darling_ ," she said, sugary sweet. He made a face, though it was more reserved than a non-Jedi's would be.

"Oh, Force, no!" he said. Anakin joined Rae in laughing and after a little while, Obi-Wan did too.

/*/

When they had calmed down and finished about half their cups of cocoa, Obi-Wan sighed and looked at Rae in slight wonder. "Thank you, Rae. I didn't even know I needed this," he said. She smiled and pulled out some more sandwiches.

"Here, I think we've missed dinner," she said, handing them the food. They smiled at her and ate their dinner. Then, they just sat and looked at the stars, taking a moment to enjoy the peace and quite. As they packed up, Obi-Wan realized he was calmer and more at peace than he could remember being.

"How did you know?" he asked Rae. She chuckled.

"Easy. I felt like I could use a good cry and some physical exertion, so why shouldn't you and Anakin? Also, I told you before, Humans are emotional beings. Emotions are healthy, but keeping them bottled up and refusing to deal with them _isn't_. So, I found a good place to let my pent up anger, frustration, pain, grief, and worry out. That you were there to benefit from my example was a planned bonus. Now, we all know each other a bit better and we all feel a bit more at peace." She looked over at him and Obi-Wan felt his heart nearly skip a beat at the smile she gave him. "Stress relief is a good thing, Obi-Wan. I just wouldn't recommend using a lightsaber for it. Use a stick, or a punching bag, or a rock and a wide open field, not a deadly weapon. Unless you're sent out for firewood, then you can take an ax and just hack the living daylights out of dead wood," she said, perfectly serious. Obi-Wan couldn't help but laugh. And _Force_ did it feel good to laugh!

/*/

From the mysterious depths of the Force, Qui-Gon Jinn was given the gift of watching his Padawan let go of a good deal of his grief and move on. The departed Master smiled, if a disembodied consciousness could smile, and said, or would if he could, "Thank you, Rae Donna Mayar. Thank you for helping him let go." Gui-Gon, as part of the Force, could see the beginnings of a bond between the three of them, though it was different for each of them. Between Obi-Wan and Anakin was the beginnings of a unique Master/Padawan bond, unique because it also had traces of a bond of brotherhood and a little of a father/son bond. Between Obi-Wan and Rae was a friendship bond tinted slightly by romantic love. Rae and Anakin shared a big sister/little brother bond with a little bit of mother/son thrown in. Seeing it, Qui-Gon was pleased. These three would need each other to survive what was going to come later. The war Rae had spoken of was already set in motion, already building in the dark and the quite. Like a festering wound, it would lay in wait and then, it would erupt into sickness. The Jedi Master was sorry that he would not be there to help them physically, but he was now one with the Force and could help from there by being with them... as the Force. He smiled as well as he could as a disembodied consciousness in the Force and sank back into the flow, though a part of him would always be with his Padawan. Though, he had to admit, Rae had it right. He was a Shining Knight, and he would be hers.

/?/

A/N: Originally, I had planned to keep Rae out of the fight but... I think she wouldn't have a problem destroying battle droids. I wouldn't! So, she fights alongside gungans. Hope you enjoyed it! Oh! I'm also not a psychologist or a therapist so that little 'therapy session' probably isn't scientifically correct. To any psych students, or Dr.s, I apologize if I've got it wrong.


	6. Chapter 6

**Another Disclaimer:** _ **…**_ Disclaimed.

 **Chapter 6:** Therapy and a Funeral

When the weary group returned, Padme was waiting. Rae looked at her group, and the boys nodded. Padme was going for a lunch time stress relief session with them the next day, Queenly duties or no. "Feeling better?" the strong Queen asked. Rae smiled.

"Oh, Padme... I wish you could have come with us. It was an enlightening trip. Perhaps you could come with us when we go again tomorrow? Your Handmaidens and Captain could come with us," she said sweetly. Padme sighed, weariness plain in the lines of her young face.

"I'd love to but..." she began, then stopped as Rae's expression hardened.

"No buts! I'll inform the relevant people, prepare the necessary foodstuffs, and then you, my political friend, are going to get de-stressed and work through some of your grief. Goodness knows you have some," Rae said, blithely overruling the younger woman with a careless wave of her hand. Anakin couldn't hold back his snickers and Rae felt happy that she had lightened at least one person's load. And that it was Anakin, and at such an early stage in his development, spoke well of her self-imposed mission. It was unlikely he would turn to Palpatine for comfort _now_. Not after all _that_. Padme sighed again, though this time more in resignation than fatigue, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

"I see there will be no stopping you. Alright, I'll join you for your little therapy session," she said. Rae beamed and then turned to head back to the ship. "Where are you going?" Padme asked. Rae blinked at her, confused.

"Well, I figured I'd just go back to the room you let me use on the ship, Your Highness. I'd rather like a shower and a warm bed," she said.

"I thought you would, so I had the staff prepare a room, along with rooms for Anakin and Jedi Kenobi, while you were out. Sabe? Would you take them to their rooms?" she said, turning to her double and missing the gobsmacked look on Rae's face. Obi-Wan and Anakin didn't and separately decided they weren't going to let her live it down for quite some time. Sabe curtsied, then lead them off into the Palace. She stopped before one door and said,

"Jedi Kenobi, these will be your rooms. The first is a sitting room that connects to the sitting room to the left through that door there. The bed room is straight ahead and the Refresher is to the right once you enter the bedchamber." Obi-Wan nodded and Sabe took Anakin and Rae down one before opening _that_ door and saying, "Anakin, this is your suite. It connects to the right and left. The rest is the same as Jedi Kenobi's. Have a nice night." Rae was a little surprised but brushed it off. It was probably that way so that Anakin could find Obi-Wan quickly if needed. Sabe then showed her to the room to the left of Anakin's. She stopped, perplexed.

"Sabe? Why are we all in connecting rooms?" she asked. The Handmaiden smiled at the confused woman.

"Her Majesty felt it would be good for Anakin to have people he trusts on both sides of him, so he wouldn't have to go looking for comfort if it was needed in the night," she said. Rae nodded.

"Please, give her my thanks. It was very kind of her to put us up, much less all in a row," she said. Sabe smiled and nodded.

"She will feel such thanks is unnecessary, as she sees all three of you as good friends, but I will convey your sentiment nonetheless," she said. Rae bowed her out of the room and went to seek out the Refresher. She felt like she _really_ needed a good long shower or maybe a warm bubble bath. She found all she would need for such a bath, or shower, inside the large bathroom. She smiled.

"Royalty sure makes a good friend," she said softly in a moment of material enjoyment. While not exactly selfish, Rae could appreciate the fine things in life. And that bathroom was _fine_. Once clean, Rae found a soft, warm nightgown laid out in her room and quickly dressed. Once clean and warm, she crawled under the covers of the soft bed she had been provided with and quickly fell asleep.

/*/

Even untrained, Anakin could sense Rae and Obi-Wan in the rooms on either side of him. He smiled as he lay curled up on the bed provided, clean and warm and _safe_. He let out a happy sigh. He had a new family, an amazing family, and soon he would begin learning how to control his abilities along with Obi-Wan. Maybe even... from Obi-Wan. He hoped the auburn haired Jedi was made his master. He didn't think he could bear someone else. Maybe Rae, but she wasn't Jedi, so she couldn't train him. With thoughts of his impeding trained floating through his mind, Anakin fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

/*/

Obi-Wan could feel the positive emotions coming off of Rae and Anakin. He let out a sigh and settled deeper into the bed, thinking about the report he'd have to give to the council. He was _not_ looking forward to _that_. No, not at all. He sighed and thought of all the good times he'd had in his life, the most recent being with Rae. Including her little therapy session by the lake. Maybe she was right. Maybe, sometimes, you just have to let the emotion run its course and be done with it. Oh some still remained, and probably would for a good long time, maybe forever, but it was muted, easier to control. Perhaps, such strong emotions as that, needed to be expressed, but only in a controlled environment... and _without_ a live lightsaber. He smiled and drifted off to sleep with bittersweet memories playing in his mind.

/*/

The next morning, Anakin woke first. He went into Obi-Wan's room and found the Jedi moaning in his sleep. Not wanting to see his friend in distress, Anakin crawled up into his bed and cuddled up to him. Obi-Wan's breathing evened out and his arms came up around Anakin, holding him tight. Then it seemed the young man realized what he was doing and released the boy, blinking as he slid away slightly. Anakin felt as though he should be offended, but the bleary confusion on his friend's face pushed that thought away. Obi-Wan had needed comfort and he had accepted him, at least unconsciously. It was enough for Anakin. "You were moaning," the boy said simply. Obi-Wan gave him a small smile and closed his eyes with a sigh.

"I was dreaming Anakin. Of Qui-Gon," the Jedi said.

"But... if it was happy, why were you moaning?" Anakin asked. Obi-Wan gave him a small, sad smile.

"Because, Anakin, that was the morning before we left for Naboo the first time before we went to Tatooine and things began to unravel. Of course, Rae has helped reweave my life, but it just... isn't the same," Obi-Wan told the boy, getting up and dressing in his Jedi Robes. Anakin frowned, humming softly to himself.

"So it's like... when I think of the morning before I found out I had to leave my mom?" he asked. Obi-Wan smiled.

"Yeah, something like that. It's happy, but it's sad because... because it was the last happy memory you have of them," he said. There was a choked sound from the doorway, where Rae stood. Somehow, while they were talking, they had made their way to the sitting room.

"I dreamed of the evening before I got... taken," Rae said brokenly. Obi-Wan gave her a sympathetic look.

"Good thing we have a 'therapy session' scheduled for lunch, huh?" he said softly. Rae smiled a slightly watery smile and nodded. Good thing indeed! She took a deep breath.

"Qui-Gon's funeral... it's tonight. Sabe just told me, thought I should be the one to tell you," she said softly. Obi-Wan froze slightly, then let out a big gust of breath.

"Yeah... thanks," he said, a slight smile tugging at his lips, despite the sorrow in his eyes. Rae smiled back and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, I don't care if I have to ream out the Jedi masters, I'm going to that funeral with you," she said. Obi-Wan couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"If you have to ream them out... can I watch?" he asked. Rae smirked.

"Front row seats," she promised, a wicked gleam in her eye that practically screamed 'I'd love to see them try and stop me.' Anakin laughed with them, happy that the two second most important people in his life were at least okay again, if not happy.

/*/

Rae sighed lightly as she packed the picnic lunch for her second 'therapy session' with her new friends. Would they really open up for her? Would they release whatever was eating them up given a gentle prod? Would this even work? But then she remembered what she'd done, what she'd become. A Self-Insert with Mary Sue tendencies. She had the horrible power to _make_ things happen... or her writer did. A thought crossed her mind and she looked up, not because she thought the Writer would be there, the Writer was everywhere, but because it suited her purpose. "Hey! Writer person! Could you make this therapy session work out? Please?" she said. She received no answer, not that she expected it, and sighed. Well, what happened would happen, and she was just going to have to deal with it, whatever it was.

/*/

Panaka, Captain of the Royal Guard, was not too sure why he had allowed this. Maybe it was the way Rae had looked at him, or how much calmer the young Jedi had seemed when he came back from Rae's little picnic the first time. Whatever it was, he'd allowed it... but that didn't stop him from wondering why. "Good afternoon, Captain. Are you ready to vent some emotions? I'm actually a bit worried that this 'session,' for lack of a better term, won't be as successful as last time," Rae said from behind him,drawing him from his musings. Panaka let out a harsh breath as he turned to see the young woman standing in the doorway with a basket in hand and a blanket over her shoulder. He grunted and she smiled in return. "No need to be grumpy, Captain. Though, I'll admit, I'm a bit surprised you aren't having a mild panic attack yet."

"I saw the results of your last session, the one with Skywalker and Kenobi. I don't think you should be so hard on yourself," he said. Rae chuckled, her eyes sparkling.

"Ah, but they knew me a bit better than you... and they were so lost and so hurt... they didn't need too much prodding to vent their emotions. Did you know, emotions are the most volatile and dangerous thing I've come across? Oh sure there are unstable chemicals and such that are volatile and deadly, but emotions... they can scab over and hide for goodness alone knows how long and if you don't act just so they can fester and putrefy, poisoning the heart, soul, and mind. Poke them just right and you can, for lack of a better analogy, lance the boil. Poke them another way, and you can drive the poison into the bloodstream, slowly killing the person until a monster remains. Truly, the mind is the most fascinating thing in the world, and the human heart, the emotional center, is just as mystifying. Don't you think?" she asked, a soft smile on her face even as she babbled.

"Has anyone ever told you it's adorable when you ramble on like that?" a deep, velvety voice said from behind Rae. She squeaked, a slight blush stealing across her cheeks. Then a puckish smirk wormed its way onto her face.

"Has anyone ever told you that your accent is dreamy?" she asked, turning to face the auburn haired Jedi behind her. She tilted her head slightly, her grin fading a bit when she realized Obi-Wan was staring at her. "Obi-Wan?" she asked.

"No. No, they haven't," he said quickly as he turned away, a faint blush appearing on his cheeks. Rae's smirk came back full force.

"Well," she drawled, sashaying up to him, "I think it is," she breathed, capturing him in a hug. That was when Panaka decided he had had enough of a sappy teenaged love story and cleared his throat. Seemingly realizing what she was doing, Rae jumped back with a pink face of her own before clearing her own throat and checking the basket. Anakin and Padme, along with her three handmaidens, came around the corner and then, they were off.

/*/

Obi-Wan was once again amazed at the power Rae had over him and his emotions. She had made him feel like an insecure teenager... and had made his insides squirm in a slightly uncomfortable manner. And what disturbed him the most was... he had actually liked it. He watched her as she lead the group, her shoulder length hair pulled back into a pony-tail that bounced and swung as she walked. She was wearing clothes that Padme had provided: tan pants and dark brown boots with a pale green tunic that was synched at the waist with a white utility belt. Why a utility belt, Obi-Wan didn't think he'd ever know, but there is was. And she made it look good. He mentally sighed, knowing he was growing attached but somehow unable to keep from becoming so. Anakin seemed in a similar quagmire as he watched Padme. Obi-Wan was mildly disturbed by this. She was five years older than him! But then Rae looked back at him with a knowing smirk. " _It's meant to be, Obi. Let it go."_ Only his extensive training kept the young Jedi from stumbling at the sound. Rae gave him a curious look, then stiffened. "What... the... _heck?!_ " she suddenly said, stuttering and clearly shocked. Obi-Wan looked at her in confusion, a question clear in his eyes. "I... I somehow... _knew_... you heard me," she said in shock and awe. He quirked an eyebrow.

"But you know things, Rae. Why is this..."

"Different? Because my knowledge comes from my... previous home. This? Oh no, this wasn't like that. I wanted to know, and then I did like I had always known. Or like the Force told me. But I also know I'm not Force sensitive. So the question is... how did I know?" she said, cutting him off. He could tell she was growing agitated, scared, and confused. He couldn't blame her. He would be too.

"I can't tell you that, Rae. Perhaps we should ask the Masters when they come for... when they come," he said. Rae sighed, then raced ahead to the little lake where they had vented the day before. She picked up a fist-sized rock, rubbed smooth by the water, bounced it in her hand a few times, then chucked it across the lake with a roar.

"What's happening to me?! What is this?! _Why is this happening?!_ I don't want this! I didn't ask for this! For any of it! So _why me?!_ " she screamed, rage, fear, and anguish pouring out of her in such strong waves even the non-Force sensitives could feel it. Obi-Wan swallowed heavily while Anakin fell to his knees, trembling. Obi-Wan kicked himself in the privacy of his heavily, as heavily as he could make it anyway, guarded mind and took the boy in his arms. Of course he'd be more affected then the others. His connection to the Force was unheard of. Anakin snuggled into Obi-Wan's embrace, taking all the comfort he could from the contact. Panaka watched in surprise and a bit of awe as the young woman screamed and cried and roared to the heavens just wanting to know _why._ As the young woman who had fought with such ferocity it had startled the gungans just... broke down. He had seen her as such a calm, composed, and _knowing_ person that seeing her break down and _ask_ shook his perception of her, made him see her as a human. Padme was similarly affected, but had already known there were things that Rae didn't know, had known that she had fears and doubts. It was the strength of them that moved her. Making a decision, she stepped up next to her new friend, picked up a stone, and threw it as hard as she could. It was satisfying to feel the muscles in her arm work, to hear the splash of the stone striking the water.

"Why did they have to die? Why did the Trade Federation have to blockade my home? Why did we have to fight? Why did it have to be us? Why is my whole world becoming undone? Am I not a good Queen? Is that it? Am I so easily lead that I have let the Queenship become little more than a figure head? I'm trying! I'm trying so hard! Isn't that enough?! I don't want to fight. I don't want people to die. I just want peace! Why can't we just live in peace?" she said, her voice slowly becoming softer even as Rae stopped throwing rocks and picked up the same stick she had given Anakin and started hacking at the trees, yelling wordless cries. Panaka looked at the handmaidens beside him, then followed the example set out before him. He screamed and cried and asked why and the handmaidens followed suit. Obi-Wan and Anakin just watched, though Obi-Wan never let the boy go. Together, they weathered the release of negative emotions that was ripping through the little lake side picnic site. Finally, the others exhausted their emotions and wearily made their way over. The Jedi and future Padawan quickly and wordlessly distributed the sandwiches and juice to the others and they all sat down to lunch. Then cookies and cocoa were handed out.

"Last time, Rae told us, me and Obi-Wan, that those we lost wouldn't want us to dwell on the bad, on how they died, but on the good and how they lived. We shared a few stories about our families over cookies and cocoa. Maybe, we need to remember the others that way now. Maybe... it'll help with the pain," Anakin said softly, gazing into his cocoa. Rae smiled.

"I think it's a good idea, but perhaps they want to reminisce together. I for one would feel an intruder in this. I didn't even meet any of the ones who died in the battle, aside from Qui-Gon, and him I didn't know well. What say you, Padme?" she said. Padme thought for a moment, then nodded.

"You're right, Rae. It... wouldn't feel quite right. Would you mind?" she asked, her wish not to hurt Rae clear. The traveler smiled at her and shook her head.

"Not at all. Anakin? Obi-Wan? Would you come with me? We could talk more about what we did last time?" she said. The boys nodded and they took a box of cookies and a thermos of cocoa and moved to another spot. There, they shared stories about the loved ones in their lives, deepening the bonds between them and healing the wounds left by the passing of those they loved. Rae's experience was a bit different, seeing as her family wasn't dead, just lost to her, or rather, her to them. She cried into Obi-Wan's shoulder as she thought of how they must feel about her disappearance. "I wonder when they'll call off the search?" she wondered, then wondered if the Notasulga police department would even start a search for her. How many people just vanished out there? How many ran away? She didn't know and frankly, she didn't want to know. With Padme, they talked of those who were killed in the fighting and what they remembered of them. Padme grew closer to her Captain and all three of her handmaidens. It was a liberating afternoon and all involved were quite glad they had done it. The pain was still there, but it was tempered by all the good times they shared with the lost, and by the loving support of the others. However, when they returned to the Palace, the Jedi Masters were already there, and Rae did not like what they had to say.

/*/

When news of Qui-Gon's death reached the Council, and they were told he had not faded into the Force like so many others, it was decided that a funeral would be held. Of course, as most Jedi _did_ fade into the Force, body and soul, a pyre was required to dispose of the body as a substitute. And as this was a Jedi funeral, they didn't expect or encourage non-Jedi or Force-sensitives to attend. They hadn't counted on Rae Donna Mayar. "What are you doing?" Mace Windu asked, stopping her from entering the courtyard where Qui-Gon's pyre was.

"Attending the funeral of my best friend's father," Rae answered. Obi-Wan shot her a look, but her eyes remained firmly on the dark skinned Jedi Master.

"Jedi do not have fathers," Master Windu said. Rae quirked an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"Everyone has a father, Mater Windu... unless they were cloned from a woman... and I very much doubt every Jedi was cloned from a woman, seeing as you are, in fact, a man... unless there's something you'd like to tell us?" she parried. Obi-Wan had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at the reaction that got out of the Council.

"This is a Jedi matter," Windu said, trying a new tactic. Unfortunately, Rae was ready for that as well.

"And my best friend is a Jedi. The former Padawan of the deceased. That makes it my business as much as yours," Rae said, waving Obi-Wan and Anakin forward. No reason for them to stand here listening to a boring argument. Fortunately for them, it was about to become a lot less boring. "Wait, I just thought of something," Rae said, watching as the elder Jedi let Anakin through no problem. "Why is Anakin allowed in but I am denied entrance?" she asked.

"Anakin is Force-sensitive," Windu said. Rae slowly turned her most diabolical glare to date on the man. The Jedi Council began to question if she _wasn't_ Force-sensitive as even those not in tune with the Force could have sworn the air chilled around the young woman. Her fists shivered, her jaw muscles twitched as she grit her teeth tightly, no doubt physically holding back unpleasant words. Yoda subtly moved over next to Obi-Wan and Anakin.

/*/

As the young woman began to audibly seethe, Padme was glad Rae was on her side. Anakin was glad Obi-Wan was there for him to hide behind. Master Windu was gobsmacked. And Obi-Wan? He was enjoying the show. With popcorn. And Yoda. Though the whole thing would have been better if the little green troll would stop stealing his popcorn with the Force. Then again, Yoda wouldn't be able to get it otherwise. " _You are an idiot!_ Why allow Anakin but not me?! And Obi is _going_ to _need_ support! Can _you_ give it to him? NO! I DON'T THINK SO! I've heard him scream. I've watched him vent. I've held him as he cried! I've feed him cookies and cocoa when he was at his lowest after the death of his master. His _father figure!_ I know it was a long time ago for you, but please, at least _try_ to remember what _your_ master meant to you at his age! And not only that, but he was there for me as I dealt with the same pain. The only differences are that my family is still alive, I just can't get to them or see them _ever again_ , probably not even after death! And it was my _whole_ family. Brother, sister, mother, father, two grandmothers, a grandfather, three aunts, two uncles, and a whole load of family members I'm not even close to! _That_ is what I lost, Malt Ball! I know what he's feeling, what he's going through, only multiplied a hundred fold! He won't make it by himself, I know I wouldn't. And Anakin! Already he felt a connection to Master Jinn. Are you really so _emotionally_ _detached_ that you would leave an impressionable nine year old alone is a sea of grieving stoics? Do you know what that looks like to an emotional being like me and Anakin? It looks like a bunch of stern faced _statues!_ He'd think you don't care about those left behind! Heck, _I_ feel that way! And I know your policies about attachment! You stubborn, stoic, jerk faced, boneheaded, blind eyed, emotionally stunted, socially inept, willful... _bigots!_ Oh yes, some honorable defenders of peace and justice you lot are! You cannot even see the poison curling and boiling and _festering_ in your OWN ORDER! In the SENATE! But I digress. You bigoted, jerk faced, _Jedi_ ," Rae took a moment to take a deep, calming breath. Obi-Wan was a bit amazed at the venom she had poured into the word 'Jedi' just then. Whenever she called him a Jedi, it was laced with respect and admiration and... love? But now... he finally realized exactly what Qui-Gon had meant when he said that words were the most important tools in negotiation. It wasn't really the _words_ , per say. It was the way you said them, the emotion you put into it. A title could be a sign of respect... or a vile insult. It was all in the way you presented it. When Rae continued, her voice was calm, level, and icy. Icier than Obi-Wan had ever heard it before. It was terrifying, making Padme _very_ glad the woman was on the same side as herself. "I cannot even find the words to convey my extreme displeasure and disgust with you and your _justifications_ at this very moment in time. Are you truly this thick, or is there something else at work? But again, I digress. The point is, I am going to that funeral with Anakin and Obi-Wan and nothing you say or do is going to stop me, Malt Ball, so please, do yourself a favor, and _drop it!_ " Rae hissed, her eyes drilling into the Jedi Master.

/*/

Yoda was highly amused by all of this. He stole a few more pieces of Padawan Kenobi's popcorn and chuckled at the sight before him. Rae Mayar, a five foot one brunette that couldn't have weighed more than a hundred and twenty pounds, was glaring down Mace Windu, renowned Jedi Master, who was at least a head taller than her and had several years of battle experience. Not only that, but he looked as cowed as any Jedi could. Rae turned from the chastised Windu and turned her burning gaze on Yoda. "Don't think you're going to escape, Master Yoda. I predict we'll be having _words_ when we return to Courasant. And I promise you, I'll have more creative insults for you than Malt Ball. You provide quite a bit of ammunition for my tirade, Master Yoda," she hissed. Yoda felt a premonition of dread wash over him at those words, and the way she said 'words' didn't help.

"In trouble, I am," he muttered to himself. Obi-Wan, however, chuckled faintly. It was more a ripple of amusement in the Force, but Yoda caught it. He refrained from huffing, knowing that would only make the uppity Padawan laugh more. Yoda paused then and looked at the young man, really _looked_. He was both heartened and saddened by what he saw. Obi-Wan Kenobi was no longer a child, and he wasn't a Padawan either. He was well on his way to being a magnificent Knight. Idly, Yoda wondered if this had any bearing on the 'words' Rae promised they'd share? He put the thought from his mind. Time would tell. It always did. Rae turned back to Windu and, for the first time many present could remember, Jedi Master Mace Windu bowed to the wishes of another. As she strode forward, the Jedi Council moved for the slight, non-Force sensitive woman who had cowed them all with nothing but the power of her words. Yoda decided, she was not someone he wanted for an enemy. He also decided to formally test her for Force-sensitivity. "Great Jedi, she would make," the diminutive Jedi muttered to himself. Obi-Wan bit back a snort.

"Don't let her hear you say that," he remarked. "She'd give you a list of reasons why you're wrong." Of course, this just made Yoda more curious of the young woman and resolved to keep an eye on her.

/*/

Obi-Wan didn't know if he could ever feel more grateful to Rae than he did then, as she stood beside him and held his hand, squeezing it in reassurance. Her presence was like a soothing balm to his fraying emotions, his bleeding heart. _"I know it hurts now, Obi, but it will fade in time. I don't think it will ever leave completely, and his memory will always be a chink in your armor, but it will fade. And I will always be here for you. As long as I still have breath in my body, you can come to me,"_ Rae's voice said in the Force. He felt his heavy heart lift a little, and he squeezed her hand a little to let her know he heard... and appreciated it. As the fire consumed Qui-Gon's body, Obi-Wan felt as if his master placed his hands on his shoulders one last time and whispered in his ear,

"I will never leave you, Obi-Wan. I am at peace. Live well, Knight Kenobi, I love you... son." Tears slipped out of his eyes and he pulled Rae a little closer. She obliged and leaned on him, lending him strength and support. He looked down at her and wondered, was he really worthy of such a wonder? She looked up at him with a smile, however sad it was.

"He's in a better place now, Obi-Wan. A place of peace. And I won't leave you, not for a good long time," she said softly, trailing her fingers down his cheek. He gave her a wobbly smile and she kissed his cheek. "It hurts me to see you so sad," she breathed in his ear. He shook his head slightly.

"You know just what to say," he said, pulling away. Rae shook her head.

"I won't pretend to understand this, Obi-Wan, but I will say this. Since when did my life become a sit-com and how did a funeral turn into a romance scene?" Obi-wan couldn't help but chuckle. However, he knew it was true, and it baffled him just as much. The funeral proceeded as usual after that. Rae stepped forward to the fading flames and said a few soft words before giving Obi-Wan a pointed look and leaving. Anakin looked to the older man with a confused expression, but Obi-Wan just shook his head. He knew what Rae meant. He lead Anakin to the dying pyre and said softly,

"I will train Anakin, Master. I will make you proud to have been my teacher, my father. Good-bye, Qui-Gon, Jedi Master and beloved father." He stepped back a ways, leaving Anakin facing the ashes of Qui-Gon alone. Anakin bowed, said a few quite words that Obi-Wan couldn't make out, then came back to him. Obi-Wan gave him a soft look. "You will be a Jedi, Anakin. I promise you. If I pass my Trials, I'll train you myself," he said. The look on Anakin's face made it clear to Obi-Wan that the boy wished very much to have him as his master. Obi-Wan couldn't help but agree. He wasn't sure any other Jedi would be able to give the boy what he needed.

/*/

The day had come. The day when Obi-Wan and Anakin left for the Capital of the Republic. Rae wasn't sure if the Cloners had already received their orders or not, and felt it would not be a good idea to ask for a ship and a pilot to take her to the phantom planet. Not yet at least. And then she wondered, was the Clone War needed? Did it shake the Council out of its complacency? She wasn't sure. She also didn't know what she was going to do, now that the Naboo Crisis was over and she had ten years at her finger tips with no skills to speak of... "I know a guy who could give you a job. It's not exactly high class, but he's a good friend," Obi-Wan said. Rae gave him a curious look, wondering if he was talking about who she thought he might be. "His name is Dex. He owns and runs a small restaurant on Courasant. Qui-Gon used to take me there when we just needed to get out... or get some slightly shady intel," the Jedi elaborated. Rae's eyes lit.

"Perfect! But... would he really hire me?" she asked. Obi-Wan nodded.

"I'm fairly sure he would. He knows a lot about the criminal underworld and has a few shady connections, but he's a good guy. Just... don't let his exterior put you off, okay?" he said. Rae chuckled.

"Alright. But you have to introduce us! I'm not going to some shady diner with some intimidating man all alone," she said. Obi-Wan smiled.

"I wouldn't dream of sending you on your own to a place you'd never gone on a planet you know next to nothing about," he said. Rae bowed to him.

"Oh, how noble of you, Jedi Kenobi. Truly, you are a shining example of what a Jedi should be. No doubt your peers find it hard to match you," she said. Anakin giggled.

"You two are silly," he said before scampering onto the ship. Rae laughed and followed, glad that the boy had broken the moment. Obi-Wan just shook his head and followed.

/?/

A/N: So... I feel like I should apologize. For this chapter, the chapter before... and all the... Mary Sue-ishness they contain. I don't usually write like that but... I don't know how to make it better. I've gotten better in the year it's been since I first wrote this, but even still... ugh. It'll get better, I promise but... it'll take quite some time. So, yeah. Sorry for the not-so-great beginning to this series.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:**... yeah. Anything you recognize isn't mine. A few changes, a few ideas, and a single character(for now) are mine.

A/N: Merry Christmas! In preparation for the launch of the next 'book' in the Don't Freak Out Series, I'm releasing TWO chapter today and the final chapter of The Beginning AS WELL AS the first chapter of Don't Freak Out: The Calm Before the Storm **on the 25th**. Have any ideas for Rae's first Christmas in the Star Wars-Verse? Leave them in a review or send them in via a PM. I'm always open for suggestions.

 **Chapter 7** **:** Back on Coruscant

The Masters weren't sure what to make of Padawan Kenobi, nor what to do with him. It had been a topic of discussion in the Council since the death of Qui-Gon. Should they put him under a new master, or have him take his Trials? Was he ready? Now that he was standing before them, their initial leaning was being tested. The young man who stood before them now was not the same man who had left for Naboo two weeks earlier. They hadn't expected him to be, but the change they saw in him now was greater than they had expected. He was more grounded in the Force, more confident, and there was a spark of defiance in his gray eyes. "I am ready to take my Trials," he said with confidence.

"Great change in you, I sense. Know the cause, you do?" Yoda asked, mindful still of Rae's 'prediction'. Obi-Wan squared his jaw and lifted his head, back straight and posture perfect.

"I do. And more importantly, so do you, Masters," he said. Yoda nodded.

"Was it the girl?" Windu asked, still a bit stung by Rae's tirade against him. Obi-Wan gave a small smile.

"Rae is something else, and part of the reason, yes. But that was not all of it. I have already gone through a Trial, Masters. The loss of Master Qui-Gon to the Sith Apprentice, for Rae confirmed Maul was the Apprentice, brought me close to the Dark Side. As you can see, I made it through without falling. I feel it would be best for me to complete the Trials and become a Knight," he said.

"Train the boy, you wish to," Yoda said. Obi-Wan nodded.

"I feel I am the only choice for his master, Masters. No-one else would be able to guide him properly. He is too used to his emotions. He needs to work through them, before releasing them into the Force. I doubt he can at the moment. He cares deeply for those who get close to him, thought it is hard to earn his trust. Once you have his trust, he is loyal. Once he is loyal, he will break you, completely and utterly, if you betray him. He will destroy you if you break his trust... because it will destroy him," he said, relating what Rae had told him on the ship back. She had told him some about the Anakin she had watched back in her home... whatever. He couldn't say 'world' because it would make it seem as if she were from the same universe, which she wasn't. The Masters weren't quite convinced. "Ask Rae if you do not believe me," Obi-Wan added. That got Yoda and Windu to sit up and take notice. They had had 'words' with Rae back on Naboo, and neither wanted to have a repeat, though Yoda had been amused by Rae's dressing down of Mace.

"Rae's assurance needed, it is not," Yoda said. Obi-wan smirked, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Yoda huffed, looking away, and Obi-Wan chuckled.

"Ah~. She has that effect, doesn't she?" he said playfully. Mace snickered.

"If promised words, you were, as happy, you would not be," Yoda remarked. Mace was silent and grave immediately. Obi-Wan snickered for a moment. The other Masters were baffled.

"Masters... who would take me on as a Padawan? I am too old to be passed off onto another. Is it really so hard to arrange my Trails?" the Jedi asked. The Masters knew he had a point. There was really only one choice available to them.

/*/

Obi-Wan was amazed. He had passed his Trials. He was a Knight. And today was the day he had his braid cut off. He requested Rae to be there for the Knighting, and the Masters knew if they refused, she would know. It seemed her ability to know had grown and was now randomly spontaneous. To be honest, it was terrifying, but of course the Jedi Council wouldn't admit to that. They had their dignity. And so, there she was, standing where Qui-Gon would have if he had lived to see his Padawan Knighted. Once Yoda's lightsaber sliced through the braid, Obi-Wan picked it up and turned to Rae. "I would be honored if you would accept this, Rae. You gave me comfort and support after Qui-Gon's death and were the reason he was able to properly say good bye before he died," he said, holding out his braid. Rae was a little choked up, but she smiled and nodded, taking the thin braid and twisting it into a bracelet.

"I'm honored, Obi-Wan. I will keep it safe," she said, slipping it onto her wrist and tightening it to make sure it wouldn't slip off. The council was a bit mystified that she'd _wear_ the braid. Then again, it was Rae, and Rae was incomprehensible. Obi-Wan smiled and bowed to the Masters before leading her out.

/*/

"Well, I think we shocked them," Obi-Wan said as he helped Rae into a speeder. She chuckled.

"That, Obi-Wan, is far too easy to do," she said, a sparkle in her eye. He chuckled. He loved how she made him feel. How she could strip away his calm Jedi mask and make him chuckle and scowl and gasp and _feel_. She was spunky, funny, tough, and just about perfect for him. He sighed as he thought about how busy he was going to be, now that he was a Knight and about to take Anakin as his Padawan. He could only hope that they'd be able to keep some sort of contact. She glanced over at him and shook her head. "Stop looking so glum Obi. If Dex will give me a job, all you have to do to see me is to come for a bite to eat. In fact, it will even give you a plausible, _acceptable_ , reason to leave the Temple. Or, when you're stumped on something, come get me. I'm starting to get a handle on this Force intuition thing I've got going on. I'll need the practice if I want to perfect it," she said. Obi-Wan chuckled again and helped her out of the speeder, noticing they had arrived at Dex's Diner. Rae didn't quite know what she was expecting, but what she saw was a little underwhelming. Of course, this thought sparked an audio memory of a show that she had once watched. A young, male voice echoed in her head saying,

"You're overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed, why isn't anyone ever just _whelmed_?" The comment was so random, she just had to chuckle. Of course, she tried to smother it, so the sound that came from her throat was actually a giggle. Obi-Wan gave her a confused look, but she waved it off. When Obi-Wan opened the door, she was greeted by the oddest being she had ever encountered, digital screen or no.

"Wow," she said, looking up into the big face of the four armed alien cook called Dex. "You're a big fella aren't ya?" she added. Dex stared at her for a moment, then bust out laughing.

"Obi-Wan, you sure know how to pick 'em!" the male boomed. Rae gave him what Obi-Wan would call a jaunty grin.

"He didn't pick me. I picked him. And really, the whole thing was basically a cosmic joke with a side of impossible fries and a random milkshake thrown in for good measure. Why the man puts up with my craziness I doubt I'll ever know," she said, shrugging. Dex laughed harder.

"Well, then little missy! It's nice to meet you! Got a name?" he asked. Rae nodded.

"Certainly, big sir." The silence dragged on until Dex chuckled again.

"And what might your name be?"

"Rae Donna Mayar," Rae replied with a saucy grin and a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Well then, Rae Donna Mayar, I'm Dex. Welcome to my humble eatery. What can I get for ya?" Dex said.

"First, a celebratory lunch. Second, we were wondering if you could give Rae a job," Obi-Wan said, stepping forward. Dex then noticed that Obi-Wan's Padawan braid was gone and what followed wasn't spoken of again for many years and even then it was with great reluctance and embarrassment at the pleadings of dear friends. Alcohol might have been employed at one point as well. But that was Obi-Wan when he was on a long, lonely mission on a world renowned for its ale with no-one but a rather vindictively mischievous twenty-one year old Anakin as back up and neither one liked to talk about _that_ particular misadventure. Suffice it to say, Rae got a job, Dex got a laugh, Obi-Wan would never want a Quin-Lei Pie ever again, and Rae discovered that Obi-Wan mixed with alcohol was an amusing sight she still could have done without. All three took a long morning to recover from the celebration, but Rae really didn't think Dex would mind if she came for the dinner rush. Luck for Obi-Wan, Anakin's Padawan ceremony wasn't until twilight the _next_ night, so he had time to recover. Still, it was an exciting night of firsts that Rae wouldn't be forgetting any time soon.

/*/

Anakin was glad Rae was there for Obi-Wan. She had been there after Qui-Gon's death, she had been at the funeral, she had been at the Knighting, she had been there when he came back drunk out of his mind(which Anakin thought was kinda funny, but didn't really want to see again anytime soon) and now she was there to keep him from making a fool of himself _and_ Anakin. Okay, so she hadn't been there for the Braiding Ceremony, but really, she wasn't needed. In fact, no-one but Obi-Wan and Anakin were even _allowed_. Sure, Rae could have intimidated the Council into letting her in, but she didn't want to. Said it was personal. And yeah, it kinda was. But now it was 'party time' and Rae was there to make sure no-one got it in their heads to do a speech. Especially Obi-Wan. Rae shot the boy a glare, as if she... oh wait. Darn it! She did know! How did she... ? Ya know what? Forget it. He was done wondering _how,_ and mostly done with wondering _why_ , and he was just going to roll with it. His life was strange, and it was likely to just get stranger, so why not accept the strange, abnormal, what-the-heck, and I-don't-even-want-to-know as his new normal? Rae gave him a sneaky, knowing smile and he groaned. Why him? Oh sure he had wanted a more exciting life than working as a slave in a junk shop on Tatooine, but come on! Why did the Force have to give him _this_ instead!? He just wanted have a normal life with a few surprises thrown in but _nooooo~!_ He just _had_ to get the crazy, messed up, _painqui_ life. He sighed and Rae chuckled at his elbow. He jerked in surprise, then scowled. "You can still get surprised Hotshot. It should take at least a year and a half before you're fully desensitized. If after five years you still get surprised by the little things, then you can start getting worried about your coping skills," Rae said seriously. Anakin chuckled, not _giggled_ , and sat back to enjoy the party. What would come would come, and he would get used to having such a strange life to the point where he'd be surprised when he had a day that was normal to people who weren't Anakin Skywalker _or_ a Jedi. It was the start of a new life, for all three of them.

/*/

With the Naboo Crisis wrapped up, Rae was faced with the hard facts of life. She needed an apartment, a bank account, and food. And she sure wasn't going to mooch off of the Jedi or Padme. The young Queen had graciously allowed her to stay at 500 Republica indefinitely, but Rae knew she couldn't stay there long. It just felt _wrong._ So, when she wasn't needed, she looked around for a reasonable apartment and a good bank. Padme pointed her toward the bank and Rae deposited her first two paychecks into it. After that, she found a small one bedroom apartment for the modest rent of 950 credits a month. There was even a gym located within the same building. A membership was quickly purchased and she was moved in by the end of the month. That was when she went on her first shopping trip on Courscant. She was amazed to find Earl Gray and immediately grabbed five boxes of her favorite tea, along with three bottles of honey. Earl Gray just wasn't right without a spoonful of honey mixed in. Food secured, she left clothes shopping for after her next paycheck. Groceries and the apartment had wiped her out, leaving only 10 credits in her account.

/*/

Dex watched as Rae scurried around his diner, talking softly to the costumers and always showing them a smile. She had asked him about getting a pilot's license sometime in the near future. He knew there was a difference between a speeder and a space ship, and he knew she was asking about a ship pilot's license, though you could pilot a speeder with a ship license. He didn't know why she wanted one, but he decided, he'd point her in the right direction. He really couldn't do anything else. He nodded and made a mental note to call one of his buddies about lessons. He had a feeling Rae would put the training to good use.

/*/

When her pay check came in that Friday , Rae began to set up a serious budget. Twenty percent for the rent, thirty percent for groceries, thirty percent for non-food shopping, ten percent for savings, and ten percent for tithe. She was going to find a good charity to donate that ten percent to as she didn't think there were any Christian churches for her to give tithe and offering to. That done, she found that she'd need to wait another week before buying anything but blankets and a towel. She still had three sets of clothes and her boots were still good, so she wasn't too desperate to go shopping for anything but food, and even then she was still in the green.

/*/

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday were work days. Wednesday and Sunday were set aside for shopping and sightseeing, while Saturday was flight training with a grizzled old Human pilot called Jazz. When they first met, Jazz had taken one look at Rae and shaken his head. "You really want to be a pilot?" he asked. Rae nodded.

"There's something I have to do and I need to do it myself," she said. Jazz looked at her like she was crazy.

"Little lady, there's nowhere you have to go a good pilot can't take you," he said. She sighed.

"This is... personal. I don't want anyone knowing where I've gone. Especially the Jedi. It's... a very... special... mission. Now, you gonna to teach me or not?" Jazz grinned, then started to laugh.

"Oh sure! But I'm a retired fighter pilot. No cruisers for me missy!"

"I'm fine with learning how to fly a fighter. Space is a dangerous place," she retorted. That just made Jazz laugh harder. The two were good friends by the end of the third lesson. Jazz had her pegged as his Wednesday Night Designated Driver by the second month.

/*/

Rae soon found herself back in a routine. Six in the morning, without fail, she'd wake up and be unable to get back to sleep. So, she'd get up, tug her blankets into some facsimile of order, and shuffle off to the bathroom. After that, she'd make herself a cup of tea and stare at the unending traffic of the city-planet, her mind blank as it slowly engaged the rest of the way. First cup of the day done, she'd fix herself some food, set the mug beside the stove, and read the newspaper. In her previous life, she never would have thought she'd start her day with the _news_ , of all things, but now her best girl friend was a senator and her best guy friend was a Jedi. Kinda made recent galactic events and policies important to know. Because Dex's usually saw heaviest traffic in the afternoons, Rae had afternoon shifts more often than not. This allowed her to eat breakfast and then change into her work out clothes and hit the gym, alternating cardio, weight training, and close combat before taking a shower and hailing a cab. She also found herself becoming the de facto shopper for the restaurant and Dex even threw in free cooking lessons for her. "If you're going to do the shopping, you might as well learn what the food you're buying is used for," Dex said when asked why he was helping her out. Rae had just grinned and leaned against the counter and asked, with a cheeky grin,

"So, what's next, Chef?" That set Dex to laughing. On the rare days that she had the morning shift, she'd take a quick shower, wolf down some instant oatmeal, and dash out. After the first few times, where she always forgot her morning cup of tea, Dex made sure to have a box of Earl Gray and a bottle of honey on hand. Rae, as Dex discovered, was neither on the ball nor all that pleasant for most of the day if she didn't get her tea. Those afternoons were spent working with the true Gungan staff Jar-Jar had given her shortly before she left Naboo. He had made her promise to practice with it and told her he was going to test her skills the next time they met. She had responded enthusiastically and so never failed to practice with it an hour a week, at minimum.

/*/

Three months after the Naboo Crisis, Obi-Wan and Anakin came walking into Dex's. Rae took one look at them and sighed. Once she was finished with the costumer she had been attending to, she grabbed them both by the neck and dragged them into a hug. It was a bit lopsided, but she didn't care. "Ritter, Teufelskerl, stop arguing. You're going to give me a headache," she said, seemingly weary. Obi gulped. The grip she had on him was _not_ the grip of a weary woman. And was it just him, or was she stronger?

"What did you call me?" Anakin asked, deciding it would be best to ignore how tight her grip was. Obi-Wan just figured she'd tell him what his new name meant if and when she wanted so he didn't ask. That, and he wanted her advice as quickly as he could get it.

"Teufelskerl. It means 'hotshot' in German, an Earth language I decided to learn because it sounded cool. Now, hinsetzen und lassen Sie uns plaudern, or, 'sit down and let's chat!'" Rae replied, dragging the two to a booth and sending Dex a hand sign. The two had become fast friends and Rae had told him she might randomly sit with a costumer or costumers, so they had come up with a system of signs for such occurrences. Obi-Wan shook his head.

"It's Anakin, Rae. Are you sure I'm the one to teach him? He..."

"Refuses to obey you?" Rae asked. Obi-Wan sighed.

"Among other things," he replied. Rae nodded.

"Obi-Wan, I went over this when Anakin was being tested by the High Council. He has been a slave all his life. For as long as he can remember, he has had to call others 'master' and follow their orders without complaint. Now that he is free, it is natural that he would want to question, disregard, or complain about orders from a 'master.' I can offer an alternative that might help, at least partially, his... distaste... for listening to and following your orders and addressing you with a respectful title. There were many countries, each one with different customs and languages, on my home world. One that I enjoyed researching was Japan. There was a warrior class in the olden days that was similar to the Jedi, though much more worldly and political. They were called the Samurai. They carried at least one, long, sword and wore their hair in a top-knot while their casual wear was not much different from that of the Jedi. This is part of the reason I would suggest a title from that culture. A 'sensei' was a teacher, role model, mentor, master, or doctor. What do you think, Hotshot, would calling Obi 'sensei' make it easier for you?" she said. Anakin thought it over as he munched on his bantha burger. After a moment, he swallowed and said,

"Only if he isn't stupid with his orders. Like telling me to meditate and then going into excruciating detail as to _how_ to meditate." Rae's eyes lit with understanding.

"Obi... how much do you _really_ tell him before leaving him to do his thing?" she asked. Obi-Wan sighed and sat back.

"I tell him what I expect and explain how to do so. I thought it would be better than leaving him to flounder through it on his own," he said wearily. Rae nodded.

"Anakin, Obi-Wan was _trying_ to be considerate of your non-jedi upbringing. Perhaps he give too much detail, but would you rather he give you too little?" she said, giving Anakin a curious stare that still managed to be expectant. The boy looked back to his plate, a slight flush crawling up his neck. Rae nodded again, one quick jerk of the neck, before continuing. "Also, this is the hardest part of the apprenticeship. The period where you truly learn about each other and forge the bond between Master and Padawan, or Sensei and Minarai, or Deshi, if you use the Japanese terms. What you two are undergoing right now is what I would call 'growing pains,' the uncomfortable changes that mean you are moving from one stage of your life to the next. Don't worry, as you _both_ learn and grow, the frustration and pain will lessen and, hopefully, go away. However, Anakin, you are _very_ hotheaded, stubborn, and opinionated where as your Sensei has progressed from the hotheaded, reckless stage and entered the practical and methodical stage. Obi-Wan is still stubborn, he just hides it under his cool, clam Jedi mask, and he will match you. Don't push too hard, because you might not like what you find. Anakin, Obi-Wan has already gone through what you are now going through. Granted, it was different, but he still knows some of what it's like. He is trying to help you to _not get killed_. Listen to the poor man! He has lived his whole life as a Jedi, he won't know some of what you do. Plus, unless I'm much mistaken, Obi doesn't like flying. It will only get worse. Especially when you fly. A punch drunk house fly is more predictable than you in the air. And you crash land. Often. And now I'm off topic. Obi! Quick!" Obi-Wan chuckled at Rae's rambling and put a forkful of cheesecake in her mouth. She sank into her seat with a moan of pleasure.

"Thank you, Rae. That was a big help," he told her kindly. She hummed, waving a hand in front of her face lazily. Anakin sighed.

"Yeah. Thanks. I'll try calling Obi-Wan 'Sensei' instead of 'master.' At least in my head. And I'll try to keep in mind what you've told us," he said. Rae smiled happily at the pair.

"That's all I can ask or give, Teufelskurl, Ritter. I need to get back to work. Enjoy your lunch!" she said, sliding out of their booth and heading around the dinning room, seeing to everyone. Obi-Wan sighed and turned to Anakin.

"Once you finish that up, we need to return to the Temple. And I suggest not calling the other Masters 'sensei.' Not yet anyway," he said. Anakin nodded, already attacking his food again. With a faint smile that might be called fond, Obi-Wan turned to his own food. Dex called Rae over when they left.

"What did they want?" the large alien asked. Rae smiled at him.

"Advice on how to handle metaphorical growing pains. Nothing too major. If Obi-Wan comes in, late, by himself, and tries to order an alcoholic drink, then you can worry. And refuse to sell him alcohol. And then call me to sort him out. I don't want him getting drunk again. Once was enough," she said, ending with a shiver while Dex chuckled to himself as he cleaned a glass. "Floating pies... so many floating pies..." Rae muttered.

"Alright, little lady. Get along now," Dex said. She grinned and went back to her work. And trying to repress her memories of Obi-Wan's Knighting celebration.

/?/

A/N: So... any better than the first six chapters? Reviews are love.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Not mine.

 **Epilogue**

It was another two weeks after helping sort out Obi-Wan and Anakin's issues before anything exciting happened for Rae. And it didn't have to do with her favorite Jedi duo. No, it was a pair of drunken Human males who were hitting on a Human female who clearly didn't want them to that got into a fight with the only slightly less drunk man behind the woman. Rae had growled, gone over, kicked two of them just below the hip, the third behind the knee, and then delivered a sharp knife hand to the backs of their necks, right at the base of the skull. Dex was impressed, though Rae had had to duck and dodge a few wild punches, still taking a few, and the men were far from sober. He enrolled her in bouncer school. The training she already had put her at the top of the class.

/*/

Obi-Wan and Anakin came back to the diner roughly a month and a half later, Obi-Wan's face stormy and Anakin's petulant. Rae sighed, again. "What is it this time?" she asked. Obi-Wan thrust Anakin at her then stormed out saying,

"You take care of the whiny brat! I'm going on a solo mission with lots of explosions!" Rae turned to Anakin with a glare.

"Anakin Skywalker! What have you to say for yourself?!" she growled. He huffed.

"Sensei started it," he said with a pout. Rae growled, her eyes narrowed. Dex walked over and turned on the server droid.

"Take off, Rae. Even I can see the kid needs an attitude adjustment," he said. Rae nodded, too angry to speak. She dragged him out back, flagged down a cab, pushed him in ahead of him, and took him to her gym. While it didn't have punching bags, it did have a corner covered in a giant yoga mat, which was perfect for Rae. She pulled out both her shock sticks, issued to her by the Nightclub Security School(yes, it's a thing. Look it up) and tossed one to Anakin, who only caught it due to his instinctual Force sense/reflexes.

"What... ?" Anakin managed to get out before Rae attacked. It took all of Anakin's meager lightsaber training and instincts to avoid getting seriously hurt, but his luck ran out after about two minutes. Rae took him down and held him pinned to the floor, her shock stick poised at his throat.

"You, are reckless, foolhardy, hot-headed, rash, sloppy, and rely far too much on your Force abilities. I was holding back by about eighty percent. If I hadn't, I might have killed you, idiot! And if we had been fighting with knives, just regular old _knives_ , you would be short a hand, a good chunk of both legs, and over two pints of blood! Imagine if we had been using live lightsabers. You'd be dead, or nearly, with no hands, no legs, and cut halfway through with multiple burns and cuts littering the rest of your body. Listen to your instructor, _child_ , and maybe you'll live to see your sixteenth birthday! And it's not just yourself you're hurting with your arrogance and petulance and idiocy! Obi-Wan went storming off on a mission _he might not come back from_ because of _you_! And if you get sent on a mission, you are Obi-Wan's _only back up!_ Sloppy work means dead Jedi, Anakin. And I have a vested interest in both you and your sensei, so I'd rather you _didn't_ get the both of you killed! And woe betides you if you come back unscathed from a mission while Obi-Wan has to be carted off on a stretcher because I will find you, and I _will_ mark you. I will make you _suffer_ for your arrogance," she reprimanded, still quivering with rage. Anakin stared at her in fear. She had him completely at her mercy, and she didn't seem like she was in the mood to be merciful. With a great shuddering breath, Rae got up and began to service her weapon. "Go get cleaned up before we leave, I have to inform the Temple where you are," she said, pointing out the locker room before vanishing. Anakin shakily got up and entered the locker room refresher.

/*/

While Anakin was having a thinking session in the refresher, Mace Windu was not having a good afternoon. "Hello, Malt Ball. I have your 'Chosen One' with me and will not be returning him to the Temple until Obi-Wan gets back. He needs a good attitude adjustment, and I doubt the Jedi would be up to the task now that O _bi-Wan_ _ **freaking**_ _Kenobi_ has been driven out by The Brat. Care to tell me where said Jedi Knight went? He said something about 'lots of explosions' and I'm just a little concerned," Rae said, sugary sweet, to the dark skinned Jedi Master. Mace sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes.

"Knight Kenobi is on a mission to oversee the destruction of a weapons store on Rodia. There should be no danger to him. None that he can't handle, anyway," he said. Rae huffed.

"And here I was worried. And you aren't. Don't you know how his apprenticeship started? Don't you know it set a precedent for his future? He is not a usual Jedi, and as such he does not get the usual missions, and if he _does_... they go pear shaped _real_ quick! So, if he is not back by a day and a half past his projected return date, please, go after him. Or I will. Give me the date and time of when he is expected back now, or I'll call every night, Malt Ball Head," she growled. Mace sighed but sent her the information she wanted. "Pleasure doing business with you, Master Jedi," she said with a grin before cutting off the transmission. She flopped back on her couch as she scrolled through the information she had received from the Jedi Temple, waiting for Anakin to make his way up to her apartment, which wasn't all that far from the gym. Obi-Wan's mission was about a day and a half away, via hyperspace, and his ship had a comm system, as was standard. Smirking, Rae used what little knowledge of broadcasting she had to boost her signal enough to reach Obi-Wan en transit. "Hallo, Obi-Wan! I gave your Minarai a sound thrashing with a shock stick, bullied Malt Ball into giving me your mission specs, and I have to say, be careful. Your missions have a tendency to go wonky. Please, don't make me take Anakin and go save your sorry hide," she said. Obi-Wan sighed.

"Hello to you too, Rae. I hope you didn't scare the boy too badly," he said.

/*/

"Nah, just shook him up a little. Kid's a brat, but he's got potential. Great good, or great evil, will come from Anakin Skywalker. Just give him some time to grow up. Way I heard it, you two became like brothers. It was just your Jedi mask that kept you from telling him until it was too late," Anakin heard Rae say. He stopped and hide in the doorway. This was a conversation he felt he needed to hear.

"I don't know Rae. You keep saying that but... how can we be brothers when we have so many fights?" Obi-Wan asked. Anakin wanted to know too, and he hoped Rae would have the answer.

"Oh, Obi. You're sixteen years older than him! Of course he's going to drive you up the wall! My brother was only three years older than Anakin and there were times I just wanted to bash his head into the floor. I loved him, crazy goofball that he was, but he had a knack for making me want to break something. I'd yell, my voice would go down... mom and dad called it my 'demon' or 'command' voice. They liked to mock me for it. Anyway, yeah. You two are going to fight, but once you get to know each other, and Anakin makes it out of the 'goofy kid' phase... you might be surprised," Rae said. Anakin heard his sensei sigh heavily.

"I hope you're right Rae. I've tried, really I have. Anakin is just so stubborn and... you're just going to tell me he's rebelling against the mindless obedience he was forced to give when he was a child, aren't you?" Rae laughed at Obi-Wan's resigned statement.

"Something like that. Though I have to admit, he's progressing faster than I thought. Oh, he's a brat alright, but it's more of a teenaged rebel thing than a bratty kid thing. Or maybe half way between? Perhaps he's trying too hard to grow up. Eh, we'll see. You focus on those explosions and I'll be the nursemaid, okay? And then when you get back you can be the big brother picking up his kid brother from playschool to go out for ice cream and then hit the mat for some saber practice. Kid's a wuss, but he has potential like I said. His skill doesn't lay with the shock stick, that's for sure, but with a _lot_ of serious practice... you could be a really great fighter, Hotshot," she said. Anakin stiffened.

"You're impressive, Rae. And Anakin, it's rude to eavesdrop," Obi-Wan said. Anakin sighed but came out of hiding.

"Hello, Sensei, Rae," he said. Rae let out a rough breath, like a cross between a laugh and a sigh.

"That all you have to say in response to our conversation? You've been listening since almost the very beginning," she said, exasperated. Obi-Wan chuckled.

"I'll admit, I was expecting a little more out of you myself," he said, clearly amused. Anakin pouted and Rae growled.

"Darn pouting, angsty, broody, arrogant, cocky, sloppy, sappy, temperamental pretty boy! Don't you _dare_ make me miss what little time I have to talk to Ritter with your stupid little displays! Or do you _want_ another beating?" she asked. Anakin swallowed heavily. Rae sighed but waved him on.

"Do you really think we could be brothers?" Anakin asked. A slight smile, meaning a lessening of the Death Glare, was his answer. "And... do you really think I could be great?" Rae gave him a considering look.

"Well now. This is shaping up to be a rather philosophical dissuasion. Allow me to start. Anakin, what do you think makes a great man?" she said. Anakin furrowed his brow. "Let me rephrase that. What is greatness?"

"To be wise, and strong, and fair," Anakin said. Rae nodded, face still ponderous.

"To be wise, strong, and fair... huh?" she asked, mostly to herself. She looked back to Anakin. "Who is greater; a man who can win a battle, or a man who can stop a battle from even happening?"

"The one who... who..." Rae smiled.

"Both would be considered great, but which outcome is better: thousands dead and peace, or peace without blood?"

"Peace without blood," Anakin declared firmly. Rae smiled.

"Which is greater: he who wins by the fear his power creates or he who wins by kindness?"

"He who wins by kindness," Anakin said, beginning to see a pattern.

"Who is greater: he with the power to destroy a city or he with the power to build one?"

"He who has the power to build one," Anakin replied. Rae smiled.

"So, what kind of man does that make the one you are acting like?" she asked. Anakin shrank in on himself.

"It makes him not so great," he said, toeing the floor mulishly. Rae chuckled.

"Yeah... but you know what? I think you can be great. Really great. You just have to remember, power does not equal greatness. And to help you on your way is one of the greatest men I've ever seen, real or not," she said. Anakin looked over at the hologram of Obi-Wan, his Sensei, his master. Was he really that great?

"Rae. I think you exaggerate," Obi-Wan said, distinctly uncomfortable. Rae gave him a Look.

"Obi, I doubt I could exaggerate this if I wanted too," she said honestly. Anakin cleared his throat, not really wanting to hear all _that_. Rae sighed while Obi-Wan chuckled faintly. "The point is, you have a fantastic role model. Even if he did ditch you to go blow junk up," Rae said, Obi-Wan exclaiming somewhat indignantly behind her,

"I did not ditch him!" Rae hummed mockingly, obviously not believing him.

"Sure you didn't! That's why he's with me and not you," she said, a bit sharply. Obi-Wan sighed and Rae shook her head. "Hey, I don't blame you. When my brother was this age, I just wanted to bash his head against the wall, shake some sense into him, tie him up outside and let him wail... oh he drove me _batty!_ But I loved him. Crazy goober that he was. And stubborn! You think _I'm_ stubborn? Aiden could match me. Easily. He'd try to get me out of bed and I'd stay in longer just to spite him. Then he'd get on my bed and bounce and push and pull and grunt and growl and yell and squeal and I'd just lay there, resisting his attempts to move me," she said, a sad, fond look passing over her face, blue-green eyes glazing over slightly as she remembered days long past. Anakin shuffled slightly, feeling that he was now intruding on something private.

"Rae... I'll be back soon. Please, just look after the boy for tonight. You can return him to the Temple in the morning," Obi-Wan said. Rae nodded, then shut off the holo-comm. She turned to Anakin with a smirk.

"Okay, Ani! Let's go back into the gym. I'm going to teach you how to take a hit," she said, the usually calming and oh so familiar smirk suddenly hard and cold and cruel. Anakin swallowed heavily. It was going to be a long night. Unfortunately for him, it was longer than that. She didn't let him leave her apartment until Obi-Wan returned and picked him up five days later. It had been the longest five days of Anakin's short life. Rae followed them to the Temple and watched a wincing Anakin as he made his way to the Halls of Healing while Obi-Wan went to make his report to the Council.

/*/

Healer Bant stared at the young boy before her, the vivid bruises on his face, back, chest, and arms making her wince internally. "And you say it was a _friend_ who did this?" she asked, disbelieving. Rae dropped out of the vent behind Anakin.

"Obi-Wan left him with me, and he gave me permission to teach him what I saw fit. So, I began teaching him how to take a hit. He hasn't quite got the hang of it, so I was hoping that Obi-Wan could leave him with me when he goes on serious or dangerous missions so I could continue that part of his education... at least until he's thirteen," she said, putting a hand lightly on the boy's shoulder. The gentle pressure still made him wince. Bant shook her head, wisely choosing to ignore the fact the woman had come from the ventilation shaft.

"I'm not sure..."

"Most Jedi are rubbish at hand-to-hand fighting. I'm giving him a skill the Jedi seem to always

overlook. 'A Jedi's life is his lightsaber,' and all that. Come on, Obi-Wan already gave his permission. And he said he'd join us! Where is the harm in that?" Rae cut in. Bant gave her a pointed look.

"The bruises for one," she said sharply. Rae huffed.

"Which is worse: bruises or death?" she asked. "I can teach him how to defend against nearly anything with nothing but his own body. Swords, knives, sticks, blasters, punches, kicks, grabs, holds... heck, if I tried, I might even be able to come up with a defense for a _whip_! Can you not see how much of a help that would be? Sure he'd have to get in close, but it could be done!" Bant shook her head while Anakin looked at her in shock. She smirked at him. "Bet you didn't think I was that awesome, did you?" she asked. He shook his head.

"You said you weren't a fighter," he said. Rae sighed.

"I was rusty, and I don't like fighting. There is a difference between knowing, doing, and enjoying. I knew, mostly, how to fight, I have fought, and in certain conditions, I enjoyed it. But I will never enjoy _battle_. And most certainly not against sentient lifeforms. Droids... noisy hunks of metal, not worth the metal they're made of... _those_ I'll scrape. And laugh while doing so. Naboo... I didn't have the training I needed to feel even remotely comfortable. And I knew the outcome _without_ my interference. I couldn't take the chance that I'd change something important and make it turn out badly. As it was, I took a _big_ risk fighting with the gungans. I'd never fired a blaster before that day, and I'd only been working with staffs for less than a week. That I survived, let alone scraped as many droids as I did, was a mini-miracle, Anakin. With the classes I'm attending now, I'm getting the training I need for the darkness I see looming on the horizon. Within the next few years, I will have learned enough to leave on a mission of my own that is of grave importance to the Republic and might mean life or death for the good people within it. And I've just gone off on a great big rant haven't I?" she said. Anakin giggled, then winced as the movement aggravated some of his bruises. Rae sighed. "Get those treated, but only enough so that you can sleep. I want you to _learn_ , and pain can be an excellent teacher. Especially when it comes to dodging. And just so you know... This is just the beginning," she said, trailing off ominously as she left the Halls of Healing. Anakin shivered slightly at that pronouncement of doom. Bant thought Rae was just talking about the hand-to-hand lessons, but Anakin knew better. She was talking about the future that she had Seen, that she Knew. And that knowledge sent daggers of ice through him.

/?/

A/N: END! Check out 'The Calm before the Storm,' a collection of one-shots dealing with Character Evolution, humor, and possibly some _naturally_ _developing_ Anidala with a side of craziness. First chapter, 'A Very Mayar Christmas,' is up!


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